JOURNAL OF PRACTICAL HEPATOLOGY ›› 2019, Vol. 22 ›› Issue (3): 337-340.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1672-5069.2019.03.007

• Hepatitis in rats and mice • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Mesenchymal stem cell transplantation alleviating hepatic injury by modulating intrahepatic biliary epithelial cell autophagic flux in mice with 2-OA-BSA-induced primary biliary cholangitis

Zhu Yun, Yao Genhong, Tang Xiaojun   

  1. Department of Rheumatology and Immunology,Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital,Nanjing University Medical School,Nanjing 210008,Jiangsu Province,China
  • Received:2018-07-13 Online:2019-05-10 Published:2019-05-15
  • Contact: Corresponding author:Zhu Yun,E-mail:zhuyunjs@126.com

Abstract: Objectiv To establish a reliable animal model of primary biliary cholangitis(PBC) and to investigate the therapeutic effect of umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSC) on STAT3 signal in intrahepatic biliary epithelial cells(IBECs) of this PBC animal. Methods C57BL/6 mice were intraperitoneally injected with 2-octynyl acid (2-OA)-bovine serum albumin (BSA) adjuvanted with Freund's adjuvant/incomplete Freund's adjuvant (CFA/IFA) or with same amount of BSA adjuvanted with IFA,or untreated as control. The model mice 22 weeks later were randomly divided into model (n=4),MSCs transplantation (n=6) and STAT3 inhibitors-treated group(n=6). The intrahepatic biliary tree and IBECs were obtained,and STAT3/pSTAT3,p62,LC3,PKR/pPKR,Beclin-1,eIF2α/peIF2α and LAMP-1 expression were detected by WB,and STAT3,LC3 and p62-mRNA were detected by RT-PCR. Results The lymphocyte infiltration and granuloma in portal area were found in liver tissues of model mice,while they were obviously alleviated in MSCs-or Stattic-intervened groups;the expressions of Beclin-1,STAT3 and pSTAT3 in IBECs from model intensified as compared to those in BSA-treated group,while they were weaken in MSCs-or Stattic-intervened groups;p62 mRNA levels decreased in model and MSC transplanted grous as compared to that in BSA-treated group,and STAT3 mRNA level in model decreased as compared to that in BSA-treated group. Conclusion Our findings indicate that MSC transplantation might regulate the autophagy and decrease the expression of STAT3 signals in mice with primary biliary cholangitis.

Key words: Primary biliary cholangitis, Mesenchymal stem cells, Autophagy, STAT3 signals