INTERFERON-ALPHA PRESERVES ERYTHROCYTE AND HEPATOCYTE ATPASE ACTIVITIES FROM LIVER-DAMAGE INDUCED BY PROLONGED BILE-DUCT LIGATION IN THE RAT

Interferons have been used to treat chronic hepatitis owing to their a ntiviral properties. However, now interferons are recognized to inhibi t collagen production. Because fibrosis has been associated with liver damage and disfunction, the effects of interferon-alpha(2b) on biliar y obstruction-induced cirrhosis were investigated. Obstructive jaundic e was induced in male Wistar rats (ca. 200 g) by double ligation and d ivision of the common bile duct. Control rats were sham operated. Inte rferon-alpha(2b) (IFN-alpha; 100 000 IU per rat) was administered subc utaneously daily after surgery. The animals were sacrificed after 4 we eks of bile duct ligation (BDL) or sham operation. Bilirubins and seru m enzyme activities of alkaline phosphatase and gamma-glutamil transpe ptidase (determined as markers of liver damage) increased several-fold after BDL. Erythrocyte and hepatocyte plasma membrane Na+/K+- and Ca2 +-ATPase activities decreased significantly in the BDL group. Administ ration of IFN-alpha to BDL rats resulted in a partial normalization of serum markers of liver damage. The normal activity of both ATPases on erythrocyte and hepatocyte plasma membranes was completely preserved by IFN-alpha. It is concluded that interferons possess interesting hep atoprotective effects not related to their antiviral properties but pr obably associated with their antifibrogenic effect.