Evaluation Effect of Transplanted Mesenchymal Stem Cell on Rat with Liver Cirrhosis

Background/Aims: Cirrhosis is a chronic disease of the liver in which normal tissue is replaced by fibrous. Bone marrow-derived pluripotent mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) have received great interest as regenerative medicine for cirrhosis because of their advantages. The most appropriate route for transplantation of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) in the management of cirrhosis remains poorly understood and controversial. But it has also drawn attention as a new approach to treating cirrhosis. This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic effect of BM-MSCs on liver structure in carbon tetrachloride (CCL4)-induced cirrhosis of female rats. Materials and methods: Forty rats were randomly divided into four groups and 10 rats per group. First group: healthy control group (C), The second group: the negative control group (C.O) given olive oil intraperitoneal 0.2 ml / 100 g of body weight twice weekly for 6 weeks. The third group (CCl4-group): A mixture of CCl4 and olive oil is given (0.2ml/100g: 0.2ml/100g) of body weight twice weekly for 6 weeks. The fourth group (CCl4 + BM-MSCs): After injecting with a mixture of CCl4 and olive oil for six weeks, they left another two weeks and were given a single intravenous dose of 1 × 106 BM-MSCs. BM-MSCs were cultured and differentiated, and body weight was recorded.  After the experiments, all rats were euthanized and subjected to quantification of liver function, quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and histopathological changes. Results: The cultured BM-MSC was positive for CD90 and CD31 while it was negative for CD34. Treatment with BM-MSCs significantly increased body weight. The SRY gene and the c-JUN. gene was positive in the BM-MSCs group. Albumin was significantly increased in treated BM-MSCs while ALT, AST, ALP, total and indirect bilirubin were decreased. CCl4 significantly caused severe histological changes in the liver in addition to an increase in the number of collagen fibers compared to the control rats. BM-MSCs proved to have a powerful effect in treating cirrhosis by reducing the number of collagen fibers.                                                                                                     Conclusions: BM-MSCs proved to have a powerful effect in treating cirrhosis by reducing the number of collagen fibers.