The affection of tumor necrosis factor-α and its antagonist on transforming growth factor-β 1 and type III collagen in mice with schistosomiasis japonica.

In order to probe the effect of tumor necrosis factor α(TNF α) and its antagonist on transforming growth factor β1(TGF β1) and type Ⅲ collagen in mice with schistosomiasis japonica, we determined TGF β1 and type Ⅲ procollagen/collagen in serm and liver of infected mice with and without TNF α and its antagonist treatment by immunohistochemical ABC method, EIA and ELISA. Results showed that TGF β1 and type Ⅲ collagen were mainly distributed in portal area, in and round egg granuloma. In 10 weeks after infection, the amounts of TGF β1 in serum and liver of the untreated infected mice were higher than that of healthy control(serum P 0.05, liver P 0.001) and of the TNF α treated infected mice(serum P 0.02,liver P 0.05). The levels of TGF β1 in serum and liver of the infected mice with anti TNF α treatment were higher than that of the untreated infected mice( P 0.05) and of the TNF α treated infected mice( P 0.01) for the corresponding period. Type Ⅲ collagen in liver of the untreated infected mice was higher than that of healthy control( P 0.001) and of the infected mice with TNF α treatment( P 0.05). Type Ⅲ procollagen in serum of the untreated infected mice was higher than that of healthy control( P 0.001 ), but no significant difference as compared with the later( P 0.05) at 10 weeks after infection. The collagens in serum and liver of the infected mice with anti TNF a treatment were higher than the untreated infected mice( P 0.02) and the TNF α treated infected mice( P 0.05-0.001). Therefore, there was a close relation between the increased TGF β1 and collagen synthesis. TNF α showed an inhibitory role for TGF β1 expression in acute stage of the infection. The results from serum and liver of the mice were conformable.