INTERLEUKIN-8 AND TRACE-ELEMENT ALTERATIONS IN EXPERIMENTALLY-INDUCEDLIVER-CIRRHOSIS - THE INFLUENCE OF ZINC, SELENIUM, AND ALLOPURINOL TREATMENT

The involvement of plasma interleukin-8 (IL-8) and its relationship to zinc and copper in both plasma and liver of thioacetamide-induced liv er cirrhosis has not been investigated. Cirrhosis was induced in anima ls using thioacetamide in drinking water. Animals were divided into si x groups: Group 1 was the normal control group (did not receive thioac etamide); Group 2 consisted of cirrhotic animals that continued to rec eive thioacetamide in drinking water; Group 3 consisted of cirrhotic a nimals treated with selenium; Group 4 consisted of cirrhotic animals t hat received only plain tap water; Group 5 consisted of cirrhotic anim als treated with zinc; Group 6 consisted of cirrhotic animals treated with allopurinol. Plasma (IL-8) increased significantly in cirrhotic ( group 2) and in cirrhotic animals treated with water (group 4). This l evel became normal in animals subjected to zinc, selenium, and allopur inol treatment. The plasma zinc level decreased significantly in cirrh otic animals (group 2) and in cirrhotic animals treated with water (gr oup 4). The plasma copper/zinc ratio was significantly higher in cirrh otic animals treated with water. Liver zinc content decreased signific antly in all experimental groups except in the group of animals subjec ted to zinc therapy (group 5), while liver copper content was only sig nificantly lower in the cirrhotic group (group 2). Liver copper/zinc r atio was significantly lower in the cirrhotic group and higher in cirr hotic animals treated with selenium, water, and allopurinol. Histopath ological assessment of the liver showed an improvement in animals trea ted with selenium. zinc, and allopurinol. Negative correlation was not iced between IL-8 and copper zinc contents in the liver of control sub jects (group 1) and with the zinc contents of the liver in the thioace tamide group (group 2). IL-8 may act as a good diagnostic and prognost ic parameter in evaluating the severity of liver damage. Furthermore, zinc, selenium, and allopurinol have the ability to decrease productio n of IL-8 in cirrhotic animals. They can also normalize the plasma zin c and plasma copper-zinc ratio with an improvement in the histopatholo gical pattern of liver cirrhosis caused by thioacetamide toxicity. (C) 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.