Inhibitory effects of rapamycin on the different stages of hepatic fibrosis.

Aim: To investigate and compare the inhibitory effects of rapamycin in the different stages of liver fibrosis.

Methods: We performed bile duct ligation (BDL) in male Wistar rats (n = 24). The experimental rats were classified into four groups: the BDL(+)/Rapa(-) group (un-treated control, n = 4), the BDL(+)/Rapa(+) group (treated 14 d after BDL, n = 8), the BDL(+)/Rapa(++) group (treated on the day after BDL, n = 8), and the BDL(-)/Rapa(-) group (un-treated, sham -operated control, n = 4). The BDL(+)/Rapa(+) and BDL(+)/Rapa(++) groups were administered rapamycin (2 mg/kg) for 28 d. The liver tissues were tested by immunohistochemical staining for α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and cytokeratin.

Results: The liver mRNA levels of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) were measured using the polymerase chain reaction. The protein levels of liver p70s6K and p-p70s6k were determined using Western blotting. α-SMA expression was lowest in the BDL(+)/Rapa(++)group. TGF-β1 and PDGF expression levels in the rapamycin-treated group were lower than those in the un-treated group and higher than those in the control groups (TGF-β1: 0.23 ± 0.00 vs 0.34 ± 0.01, 0.23 ± 0.0 vs 0.09 ± 0.00, P < 0.0001; PDGF: 0.21 ± 0.00 vs 0.34 ± 0.01, 0.21 ± 0.0 vs 0.09 ± 0.00, P < 0.0001). The p70s6k and p-p70s6k levels decreased in the treated groups and were lowest in the BDL(+)/Rapa(++)group (p70s6k: 1.05 ± 0.17 vs 1.30 ± 0.56, 0.40 ± 0.01 vs 1.30 ± 0.56, P < 0.0001; p-p70s6k: 1.40 ± 0.5 vs 1.67 ± 0.12, 0.70 ± 0.01 vs 1.67 ± 0.12, P < 0.0001).

Conclusion: The results of our study indicate that rapamycin has inhibitory effects on liver fibrosis, and the treatment is most effective in the early stages of fibrosis.