Table 1

Evaluation of prolactin serum levels, inflammation, necrosis, lobular damage and apoptosis in liver sections after in vivo administration of: (i) NaCl or prolactin to normal rats for 1 week; or (ii) anti-prolactin antibody or non-immune serum to BDL (immediately following BDL) rats for 1 week.

Treatment

Normal rats + NaCl for 1 week

Normal rats + PRL for 1 week

BDL rats + non-immune serum for 1 week

BDL rats + anti-PRL antibody for 1 week

Prolactin serum levels (ng/ml)

6.6 ± 0.16

98.4 ± 1.5*

63.4 ± 1.0

14.0 ± 0.2*

Inflammation

0 ± 0

0.4 ± 0.2^ns

1.6 ± 0.2

0.8 ± 0.2*

Necrosis

0 ± 0

0.42 ± 0.2^ns

1.0 ± 0.0

0.6 ± 0.2*

Lobular damage

0.06 ± 0.06

0.26 ± 0.11^ns

1.8 ± 0.14

0.9 ± 0.06*

Cholangiocyte Apoptosis

0 ± 0

0.2 ± 0.2^ns

0.6 ± 0.2

0.8 ± 0.2^ns

Inflammation, necrosis, lobular damage and apoptosis were evaluated in paraffin embedded liver sections (5 μm) stained with hematoxylin and eosin. In vivo administration of prolactin to normal rats for 1 week increased prolactin serum levels but did not alter liver inflammation, necrosis, lobular damage or apoptosis compared to NaCl-treated normal female rats. The administration of anti-prolactin antibody to BDL female rats decreased prolactin serum levels and ameliorated portal inflammation, necrosis and lobular damage compared to BDL rats treated with non-immune serum for 1 week. Data on prolactin serum levels are mean ± SEM of 3 samples from 3 different rats. Data (mean ± SEM) related to the measurement of inflammation, necrosis, lobular damage and cholangiocyte apoptosis are obtained from the analysis of 3 slides per portal tract. *p < 0.05 vs. its corresponding value from BDL rats treated with non-immune serum.

Taffetani et al. BMC Physiology 2007 7:6   doi:10.1186/1472-6793-7-6