The relationship between inferior mesenteric vein vasculopahty and endotoxemia in rats with schistosomal cirrhosis

Objective To explore the relationship between inferior mesenteric vein vasculopathy and endotoxemia in rats with schistosomal cirrhosis.Methods Forty rats were divided into control group and model group.Twenty rats in model group were infected percutaneousiy with cercariae of schistosomiasis japonica.Quantitative analyses of Western blot and RT-PCR were applied to detect the protein and mRNA expression of TLR-4/MD-2.Masson trichrome stain and transmission electron microscopic examination were performed to observe the pathologic changes of the inferior mesenteric vein.Vena eava blood was test- ed for endotoxin.Results The rats in model group had pathologic changes in inferior mesenteric vein.The expression of TLR-4/MD-2 in the inferior mesenteric vein in model group was significantly stronger than in control group(P0.01).The level of endotoxin in model group was significantly higher than in model group(P0.01).Conclusion There is an inferior mesenteric vein vasculopathy in rats with schistosom- al cirrhosis.Endotoxin translocations and high expression of TLR-4/MD-2 play an important role in vein vasculonahtv of rats with schistosomal cirrhosis.