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The Use of Antifibrotic Recombinant nAG Protein in a Rat Liver Fibrosis Model.

AbstractOBJECTIVES:
The "nAG" protein is the key protein mediating the regeneration of amputated limbs in salamanders. The senior author (MMA) developed the original hypothesis that since "nAG" is a "regenerative" protein, it must be also an "antifibrotic' protein. The antifibrotic properties were later confirmed in a rabbit skin hypertrophic scar model as well as in a rat spinal cord injury model. The aim of this study is to evaluate the potential therapeutic properties of the nAG protein in a rat liver fibrosis model.
METHODOLOGY:
Liver fibrosis was induced using intraperitoneal injections of carbon tetrachloride (CCL4). A total of 45 rats were divided equally into 3 groups: Group I (the control group) received normal saline injections for 8 weeks, Group II received CCL4 for 8 weeks, and Group III received CCL4 and nAG for 8 weeks. At the end of the experiment, the serum levels of 6 proteins (hyaluronic acid, PDGF-AB, TIMP-1, laminin, procollagen III N-terminal peptide, and collagen IV-alpha 1 chain) were measured. Liver biopsies were also taken and the stages of live fibrosis were assessed histologically.
RESULTS:
The CCL4 treatment resulted in a significant increase in the serum levels of all 6 measured proteins. The nAG treatment significantly reduced these high levels. The degree of liver fibrosis was also significantly reduced in the CCL4/nAG group compared to the CCL4 group.
CONCLUSIONS:
nAG treatment was able to significantly reduce the serum levels of several protein markers of liver fibrosis and also significantly reduced the histological degree of liver fibrosis.
AuthorsMaha M Arafah, Mohammad M Al-Qattan, Durria A Abdulmaged-Ahmed, Ghada A Al-Nafesah, Nessrin Y Jadu, Reginald S Bagayawa, Medhat K Shier, Amir Marzouk, Hend S Almalki
JournalBioMed research international (Biomed Res Int) Vol. 2019 Pg. 9846919 ( 2019) ISSN: 2314-6141 [Electronic] United States
PMID31275996 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
Chemical References
  • Biomarkers
  • Recombinant Proteins
Topics
  • Animals
  • Biomarkers (blood)
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Liver Cirrhosis (blood, drug therapy, pathology)
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Recombinant Proteins (blood, therapeutic use)

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