Abstract:

Objective    To investigate protein nitrotyrosine and cell apoptosis in the liver and brain tissues of rat model of hepatic encephalopathy (HE). Methods      Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into HE group and control group. To manufacture the HE model, the HE group was treated with thioacetamide (TAA) by intraperitoneal injection. The control group was treated with normal saline by the same way. Then frozen sections were made from the rat liver and brain of the 2 groups. In the frozen sections, protein nitrotyrosine (3-NT) and nitricoxide synthase (NOS) was tested by immunoenzymic method of SABC, and cell apoptosis was tested by TdT-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling（TUNEL）. Cell apoptosis index was calculated. Results    Significant nitrate protein deposition was observed in the rat liver frozen sections in the HE group, while it was rare in the control group. The expression of NOS was much more in the rat liver and brain tissues of the HE group. Cell apoptosis index was significantly higher in the HE group than in the control group （P<0.01）. Conclusions    There is a close relationship between HE and protein nitration in the liver and brain tissues.

Key words: Hepatic encephalopathy; Protein nitrotyrosine; Apoptosis; Rats, Wistar