iNOS/NO体系在慢性肝炎及肝硬化患者中的表达

Peripheral and portal plasma iNOS activity and hepatic expression of iNOS in patients with chronic hepatitis or liver cirrhosis

目的:探讨内源性NO在慢性病毒性肝炎-肝硬化发展进程中的作用.方法:采用硝酸还原酶法比色测定外周静脉及门静脉血浆中iNOS活性,并用免疫组织化学和RT-PCR方法观察肝组织iNOS蛋白及RNA的表达.结果:在慢性肝炎患者及肝硬化患者门静脉血与外周血中iNOS活性与对照组相比均明显升高(F=102.793,25.052,P<0.01),且门静脉血iNOS活性增高更为明显.慢性肝炎组及肝硬化组中iNOS蛋白的灰阶值均低于正常对照组(F=46.796,P<0.05),表明iNOS表达增强.慢性肝炎组、肝硬化组iNOSmRNA的表达均分别显著高于正常对照组(F=26.832,P<0.01),且随着肝脏病变的加重表达逐渐增加.结论:iNOS/NO体系在慢性肝炎-肝硬化发生发展中起着保持血管舒张状态的重要作用.

AIM： To investigate the role of nitric oxide （NO） in the development and progression of hepatitis and liver cirrhosis. METHODS： Peripheral and portal plasma inducible nitric oxide synthase （iNOS） activity was measured by the nitric acid reductase method. The expression of iNOS mRNA and protein in the liver was measured by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction （RT-PCR） and immunohistochemisty, respectively. RESULTS： Peripheral and portal plasma iNOS activity, especially the latter, was significantly higher in patients with chronic hepatitis or liver cirrhosis than in normal controls （F = 102.793 and 25.052, respectively; both P 0.01）. The expression levels of iNOS protein in the liver of patients with chronic hepatitis or liver cirrhosis were enhanced when compared to that in normal controls （F = 46.796, P 0.05）. The expression levels of iNOS mRNA in the liver of patients with chronic hepatitis or hepatic cirrhosis were also higher than that in normal controls （F = 26.832, P 0.01）, showing an increasing trend with the progression of the diseases. CONCLUSION： The iNOS/NO system plays an important role in the development and progression of chronic hepatitis and hepatic cirrhosis perhaps by dilating blood vessels.