Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells as therapy for hepatic fibrosis

Objective To investigate the therapeutic effect of rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSC) in a rat model of liver fibrosis, so as to provide an experimental foundation and theoretical basis for the clinical treatment of human hepatic disease by transplantation of autologous BMSC.Methods Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) was injected intraperitoneally to induce rat liver fibrosis.BMSC were harvested from uninduced, healthy rats, infected with lentivirus expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP) , and transplanted into the fibrosis-induced rat via tail vein injection at week 10 after model establishment.A negative control group was injected with saline.Four weeks later, the livers were excised for pathologic examination and the venous blood was collected to test the serological fibrosis parameters and indices of liver function.Results The rat model of liver fibrosis was successfully established.More than 80% of the isolated BMSC were successfully infected with the GFP lentiviral vector.After transplantation, GFP-positive cells were detected in the livers of recipient rats, with the majority being distributed along the fibrous septa around the central vein and portal area.In addition, the GFP-positive cells showed a hepatocyte-like structure and were compatible with hepatic tissue.The rats treated with BMSC had appreciably less hepatic fibrosis and better serological indices than the untreated model group.Conclusion BMSC transplantation can inhibit the progression of liver fibrosis and possibly restore liver function in a rat model.