Investigation of the expression level of inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokine genes in young and old mice with chronic liver fibrosis

Aim:The effect of the liver, the largest organ in our body, on the immune system is not fully known. The aim of our project is to analyze the cellular response that develops in the liver and the spleen, at molecular level during chronic liver fibrosis, and also to investigate the effect of aging on the immune response in the liver by comparing the data obtained from young and old subjects. Material and Method: In order to create chronic fibrosis model thioacetamide was injected via i.p route to BALB/c mice. The expression levels of inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokine genes in liver and spleen tissues were investigated in all groups, and histological and immunohistochemical analyzes were performed on liver tissues. Results: TNF-IL-10 and TGF- gene expression levels in liver tissues of young fibrotic subjects increased compared to young naive subjects, while ROR-t, IL-4 and IFN- gene expression levels decreased. GATA-3, FOXP3 and TNF- gene expression levels increased in spleen tissues. ROR-t, T-bet, IL-10 and IFN-gene expressions in the liver tissues of elderly fibrotic subjects decreased compared to elderly naive subjects. In the spleen, T-bet and IFN- gene expression levels decreased. T-bet, IL-10 and TGF- gene expressions increased in liver tissue as a result of aging. In addition, expression levels of all genes except TGF-IL-17, ROR-t and IL-2 increased in the spleens of elderly subjects. Conclusion: Our findings reveal that the liver supports both the inflammatory and anti-inflammatory response in young individuals during liver fibrosis, while the spleen supports the anti-inflammatory response. It appears that the immune response to fibrosis varies depending on aging. Key Words: Fibrosis, Liver, Spleen, Cytokine