Abstract:

Objective To  study the effects of rapamycin(RAPA) and splenectomy on
 the  expression levels of transforming growth factor-β(TGF-β1) in liver and
 spleen tissues of rats  with liver fibrosis and the pathological morphology of
 
  liver and spleen tissues,and to disscuss  its role in the treatment of
 liver fibrosis.Methods  30 rats were randomly divided into normal control group,

RAPA group,liver  fibrosis model group,splenectomy group, and combination treatment
 group; there were 6 rats in  each group.Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) peanut oil was used to 

establish the  liver fibrosis  rat  models.The  morphological changes of liver and spleen tissues of the  rats in various  grou
ps were observed under light microscope;the  expression levels of TGF-β1  in liver  and spleen tissues and the expressi
on level of  serm TGF-β1 were detected.Results The morphology  results showed that the 
 rats in  liver fibrosis model group presented  mixing drops of fatty degenerati
on,and the inflammatory cells invasion,and small bile duct hyperplasia,and there
 were hyperplasia of fibrous septum wrapping liver cells; the pathomorphological changes of the
 
 rats in RAPA  group,splenectomy  group and combination treatment  group  were  improved with different
 degrees,especially  in combination treatment group.Compared with  liver fibrosis model  group,the expression levels of TGF-β1 of the rats in

splenectomy group,combination  treeatment  group, and RAPA group were decreased (P<0.05 or P<0.01).Compared with liver fibrosis model group,the

expression level of  TGF-β1 in spleen tissue of the rats in  RAPA group was decreased(P<0.01).Compared with normal control group,the expression levels of TGF-β1 in spleen tissue of the rats in liver fibrosis group and RAPA group were increased(P<0.01).At the 8th week,compared with  liver fibrosis model group,the expression lev
els of serum TGF-β1 of the rats in RAPA group,splenectomy group, and combination treatment group were decreased(P<0.05 or P<0.01).Compared with splen
ectomy group,the expression level of serum TGF-β1 of the rats in combination treatment group was decreased(P<0.05),

but there was no significant difference of the expression levels of serum TGF-β1 between combination treatment
 group and RAPA group(P>0.05).Conclusion RAPA and splenectomy can significantly lower the
 expression level of serum  TGF-β 1 and  the expression level of TGF-β1 in liver  and spleen tissues of the rats
 and reduce the morphological changes in the liver tissue and  ease the process of liver fibrosis  in rats.
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Key words: liver fibrosis, rapamycin, splenectomy, transforming growth factor-beta 1