Effect of interferon-alpha on experimental septal fibrosis of the liver - Study with a new model

Interferon-alpha is used in antiviral therapy in humans, mainly for viral h epatitis B and C. An anti-fibrotic effect of interferon has been postulated even in the absence of anti-viral response, which suggests that interferon directly inhibits fibrogenesis. Rats infected with the helminth Capillaria hepatica regularly develop diffuse septal fibrosis of the liver, which ter minates in cirrhosis 40 days after inoculation. The aim of this study was t o test the anti-fibrotic effect of interferon in this experimental model. E valuation of fibrosis was made by three separate methods: semi-quantitative histology, computerized morphometry and hydroxyproline measurements. Treat ment with interferon-alpha proved to inhibit the development of fibrosis in this model especially when doses of 500,000 and 800,000 IU were used for 6 0 days. Besides confirming the anti-fibrotic potential of interferon-alpha on a non-viral new experimental model of hepatic fibrosis, a clear-cut dose -dependent effect was observed.