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Effect of Angiotensin-converting Enzyme Inhibition on Experimental Hepatic Fibrogenesis

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Abstract

The renin-angiotensin system is suggested to be important in liver fibrogenesis. It induces hepatic stellate cell proliferation and up-regulates transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-β1) expression. Matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) is involved in extracellular matrix remodelling. Fibrosis, a consequence of most chronic liver diseases, may be the result of a disturbed balance between fibrogenesis and fibrolysis. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of enalapril on liver fibrogenesis induced in rats by bile-duct ligation. Forty-seven rats were divided into two groups: bile-duct ligated (BDL) (n = 24) and BDL + enalapril (n = 23). Fibrosis was evaluated by the Knodell scoring system, and TGF-β1 and MMP-2 were assessed with immunohistochemistry at the second, fourth and sixth weeks after bile-duct ligation. In the BDL group, TGF-β1 increased by the second week and this increase continued through weeks 4 and 6. In the BDL + enalapril group, TGF-β1 was significantly lower than the other group (P < 0.05). MMP-2 progressively decreased after week 2 in the BDL group. In the BDL + enalapril group, MMP-2 was significantly higher than the BDL group at the fourth and sixth weeks. These results suggest that enalapril reduces the liver tissue TGF-β1 and has an ameliorating effect on the fibrosis markers TGF-β1 and MMP-2.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Gastroenterology, Faculty of Medicine, Fatih University, Ankara, Turkey

    Cansel Türkay

  2. Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Cumhuriyet University, Sivas, Turkey

    Özlem Yönem

  3. Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Cumhuriyet University, Sivas, Turkey

    Sema Arıcı

  4. Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Cumhuriyet University, Sivas, Turkey

    Ayhan Koyuncu

  5. Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Fatih University, Ankara, Turkey

    Mehmet Kanbay

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  1. Cansel Türkay
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  2. Özlem Yönem
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  4. Ayhan Koyuncu
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  5. Mehmet Kanbay
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Correspondence to Mehmet Kanbay.

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Türkay, C., Yönem, Ö., Arıcı, S. et al. Effect of Angiotensin-converting Enzyme Inhibition on Experimental Hepatic Fibrogenesis. Dig Dis Sci 53, 789–793 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-007-9941-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-007-9941-y

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