Effects of Hyperbaric Oxygen with Free Radical Antagonists on the Expression of Extracellular Matrix and Matrix Metalloproteinase -2 in Rat Liver Treated by CCl4

AIM: To investigate the effects of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) and free radical antagonists (FRA) on the expression of extracellular matrix and matrix metalloproteinase -2 in rat liver treated by CCI₄, and to evaluate the preventional effectiveness on liver fibrogenesis. METHODS: Liver fibrosis model was induced by CCl₄ in Wistar rats. The rats were randomly divided into control, CCl₄, CCl₄ with HBO treatment, CCl₄ with FRA, and CCl₄ with HBO and FRA groups. The rats in the latter three groups were treated with HBO or/and FRA at the 2nd and 8th weeks of the experiment. All the rats were sacrificed at the end of the 8th week. The parameters in sera and tissues were detected. RESULTS: The serum levels of AST and ALT, and the contents of hyaluronate (HA) in the group of CCl₄ with HBO and FRA treatment were lower than those in the CCl₄ group. The expression of collagen I, collagen IV, MMP-2 , TGF-beta1 proteins and collagen I, MMP-2 mRNAs in hepatic tissues of the group was also lower than that in the CCl₄ group. However , the levels of MMP-2 activity were all higher in three groups treated with HBO or/and FRA than that in the CCl₄ group. CONCLUSIONS: This work suggests that hyperbaric oxygen with free radical antagonists can delay the development of liver fibrosis.