Background-Hepatic stellate cells play a key role in the pathogenesis of he
patic fibrosis.
Aims-To examine the inhibitory effect of oestradiol on stellate cell activa
tion.
Method-In vivo, hepatic fibrosis was induced in rats by dimethylnitrosamine
or pig serum. In vitro, rat stellate cells were activated by contact with
plastic dishes resulting in their transformation into myofibroblast-like ce
lls.
Results-In the dimethylnitrosamine and pig serum models, treatment with oes
tradiol at gestation related doses resulted in a dose dependent suppression
of hepatic fibrosis with restored content of hepatic retinyl palmitate, re
duced collagen content, lower areas of stellate cells which express alpha s
mooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) and desmin, and lower procollagen type I and
III mRNA levels in the liver. In cultured stellate cells, oestradiol inhib
ited type I collagen production, alpha-SMA expression, and cell proliferati
on. These findings suggest that oestradiol is a potent inhibitor of stellat
e cell transformation.
Conclusion-The antifibrogenic role of oestradiol in the liver may contribut
e to the sex associated differences in the progression from hepatic fibrosi
s to cirrhosis.