Artículos de revistas
Slight activation of nuclear factor kappa-B is associated with increased hepatic stellate cell apoptosis in human schistosomal fibrosis
Fecha
2010Registro en:
ACTA TROPICA, v.113, n.1, p.66-71, 2010
0001-706X
10.1016/j.actatropica.2009.09.008
Autor
BRAZ, Mariana M.
RAMALHO, Fernando S.
CARDOSO, Rafaela L.
ZUCOLOTO, Sergio
COSTA, Roberto S.
RAMALHO, Leandra N. Z.
Institución
Resumen
To investigate the relationship between NF-kappa B activation and hepatic stellate cell (HSC) apoptosis in hepatosplenic schistosomiasis, hepatic biopsies from patients with Schistosoma mansoni-induced periportal fibrosis, hepatitis C virus-induced cirrhosis, and normal liver were submitted to alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) and NF-kappa B p65 immunohistochemistry, as well as to NF-kappa B Southwestern histochemistry and TUNEL assay. The numbers of alpha-SMA-positive cells and NF-kappa B- and NF-kappa B p65-positive HSC nuclei were reduced in schistosomal fibrosis relative to liver cirrhosis. In addition, increased HSC NF-kappa B p65 and TUNEL labeling was observed in schistosomiasis when compared to cirrhosis. These results suggest a possible relationship between the slight activation of the NF-kappa B complex and the increase of apoptotic HSC number in schistosome-induced fibrosis, taking place to a reduced HSC number in schistosomiasis in relation to liver cirrhosis. Therefore, the NF-kappa B pathway may constitute an important down-regulatory mechanism in the pathogenesis of human schistosomiasis mansoni, although further studies are needed to refine the understanding of this process. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.