Immunohistochemical localization of epidermal growth factorreceptors in the liver of normal and streptozotocin-induceddiabetic rats

BackgroundDiabetes mellitus is a metabolic disease characterized by hyperglycemia, whichaffects different tissues including the liver. Epidermal growth factor receptor(EGFR) family is one of the tyrosine kinase receptor families that regulate liverpathophysiology.Aim of the workThis study aimed to demonstrate the histological and EGFR immunohistochemicalchanges that occur in the liver of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rat.Materials and methodsTwenty male albino rats divided into two groups, group I (control) and groupII (diabetic), were used. Diabetes was induced in the animals in group II by asingle intraperitoneal injection of STZ (40 mg/kg). Five rats from each group weresacrificed 2 and 4 weeks after the STZ injection. Blood samples were collectedfor detection of serum glucose and insulin levels. Paraffin sections of the liver wereprepared and stained with H E, periodic acid Schiff, Masson’s trichrome stains, andimmunohistochemical stain using anti-EGFR antibody.ResultsDiabetes mellitus was associated with marked congestion of central veins, bloodsinusoids, and hepatic veins. Hepatocytes showed degenerative and fatty changes,especially in the periportal regions. Four weeks after induction of diabetes, signs ofhepatic regeneration such as large binucleated hepatocytes were observed in thepericentral regions. Control livers showed strong positive EGFR immunoreactivityin hepatocytes, mainly in the periportal and pericentral regions, and in the bile ductepithelium. A marked decrease in EGFR immunoreactivity was observed in the liversof diabetic rats.ConclusionDiabetes mellitus is associated with marked hepatic congestion, degenerative andfatty changes in the hepatocytes, and decreased hepatic EGFR immunoreactivity.