Effects of platelet-rich plasma on liver regeneration in CCl₄-induced hepatotoxicity model

Abstract

Numerous bioactive growth factors and cytokines in platelet-rich plasma (PRP) have recently made it an attractive biomaterial for therapeutic purposes. These growth factors have the potential to regenerate the injured tissues. The aim of this study was to investigate the therapeutic effects of PRP in hepatotoxic animal model. Hepatotoxicity was induced in rats by oral administration of 4 mL/kg/week of CCl₄ diluted 1:1 in corn oil for 10 weeks. To confirm the hepatotoxicity, 24 h after the last CCl₄ administration, blood samples were collected via cardiac puncture to assess the serum levels of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, albumin, total protein, and total bilirubin. Twenty-four hours after blood collection, the experimental animals received a single injection of PRP (1 mL) via the anterior mesenteric vein. One week later, all biochemical tests were performed again, and the rats were scarified and their livers were removed, prepared histologically, and stained. The stereological analyses were performed to evaluate the effects of PRP on histopathological features of CCl₄-treated livers. The results were compared statistically with the corresponding control and CCl₄+normal saline (NS)-treated animals. A significant decrease in the number and volume of hepatocytes (p = 0.01), and also a reduction in the volume of sinusoids (p = 0.001) and connective tissue (p = 0.04), were observed in the PRP-treated animals compared with the CCl₄+NS-treated ones. Our findings demonstrated that application of PRP had beneficial effects on CCl₄-induced fibrosis; however, it had detrimental effects on the total number of hepatocytes and the volume of hepatocytes and sinusoidal spaces.

Keywords:

• Growth factors
• liver
• platelet-rich plasma
• regeneration

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank research deputy of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences for the grant no. 93-7055 and also Center for Development of Clinical Research of Nemazee Hospital and Dr Nasrin Shokrpour for editorial assistance. This study was a part of requirements of PhD program that was fulfilled by A. Mafi.

Declaration of interest

There is no conflict of interest. The authors wish to thank research deputy of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences for the grant no. 93-7055