Abstract:

Objective To investigate the changes and significances of different immune cells in the peripheral blood and liver-infiltrating lymphocytes(LILs) in mice liver fibrosis. Methods C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into the model group and the control group. The mice of liver fibrosis were induced by intraperitoneal injection of carbon tetrachloride(CCl4), at the same time, the control group received the equal volume physiological saline. The serums were collected for detecting ALT of mice. Histopathological changes of liver were observed by HE and Masson staining. The frequencies of peripheral and Tregs, NK1.1⁺ cells, CD4⁺ cells and CD8⁺ cells were analyzed by flow cytometry. The data were evaluated by t-test. Results In liver, it showed that Tregs frequency, CD25⁺Foxp3⁺/CD4⁺ in the model group was(10.63±1.50)%, which was significantly higher as compared with that in the control group(P<0.01). However, peripheral Tregs in the model group only increased slightly〔(7.40±0.85)% vs (5.27±1.30)%〕. Strikingly, there were less NK1.1 cells in both liver and blood in the model group as compared with those of the control group〔(9.53±2.25)% vs (19.80±5.97)%, P<0.05; (0.38±0.13)% vs (1.06±0.63)%, P<0.05〕 respectively. Though CD4⁺ cells and the ratio of CD4⁺/CD8⁺ decreased in liver and blood, no statistically significance was observed. Conclusion During liver fibrosis, intrahepatic CD4⁺CD25⁺Foxp3⁺ regulatory T cells are increased, while NK1.1⁺ cells decreased; CD4 cells are also decreased.

Key words: flow cytometry, regulatory T cells, NK1.1⁺ cells, CD4⁺cells, liver fibrosis