The Protective Effect of Bone Marrow Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Erythropoietin on Experimental Acute Hepatic Injury in Rats

Background: Tissue-protective effect of Erythropoietin (EPO) was confirmed in brain, myocardium, kidney and liver injury. Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs), with its remarkable capacity of self renewal and differentiation, provide opportunities for treating many diseases including acute liver failure. Experimentally, acute liver injury can be induced by well-known and often used hepatotoxin, Galactosamine (Ga1N).Objectives: We aimed to investigate the possible protective effect of both EPO and MSCs on GalN-induced liver injury and trying to clarify their mechanism of action.Methods: One hundred, male adult white albino rats were divided into five groups each consists of 20 rats. Group 1: Served as negative control group, Group 2: Rats were injected once with Galactosamine (GalN) (650mg/kg IP), Group 3: Rats were injected once with MSCs (one million cells/rat IP) immediately after GalN injection, Group 4: Rats were injected once with EPO (12IU/kg IP) immediately after GalN injection, Group 5: Rats will be injected once with MSCs treated with EPO (IP) immediately after GalN injection. IL-6, IL-10 levels and NFKb, iNOS, TLR4 and BAX gene expression were assessed in liver tissue. ALT, AST, albumin and ammonia levels were assessed in serum. Histopathology was done.Results: EPO and MSCs treatment corrected the toxic effect of GalN with significant increase in the mean level of IL-10 and albumin and significant decrease in the mean level of IL-6, (NFKb, iNOS, TLR4 and BAX gene expression) and (ammonia, ALT and AST). The combination between MSCs and EPO enquired more protection against GalN toxicity.Conclusion: MSCs and EPO as separate or combined therapy protect liver against GalN toxicity may be through immunomodulation and anti-apoptotic activities.