Intestinal decontamination inhibits TLR4 dependent fibronectin-mediated cross-talk between stellate cells and endothelial cells in liver fibrosis in mice.

ABSTRACT:

Background & aims

Liver fibrosis is associated with angiogenesis and leads to portal hypertension. Certain antibiotics reduce complications of liver failure in humans, however, the effects of antibiotics on the pathologic alterations of the disease are not fully understood. The aim of this study was to test whether the non-absorbable antibiotic rifaximin could attenuate fibrosis progression and portal hypertension in vivo, and explore potential mechanisms in vitro.

Methods

The effect of rifaximin on portal pressure, fibrosis, and angiogenesis was examined in wild type and Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) mutant mice after bile duct ligation (BDL). In vitro studies were carried out to evaluate the effect of the bacterial product and TLR agonist lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on paracrin

SUBMITTER: Zhu Q 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3307873 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature