Effects of glycine on plasma and liver tissue changes of TNF-α, ET-1 and nitric oxide contents in rats with obstructive jaundice

摘要

AIM: To evaluate the effect of glycine on plasma and liver tissue changes of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), endothelin-1 (ET-1) and nitric oxide (NO) contents in rats with obstructive jaundice. METHODS: Ninety healthy Wistar rats of both sexes weighing 275+-25 g were randomly divided into sham-operated, bile duct-ligated, and bile duct-ligated plus glycine-treated groups, the latter was performed with 5 % glycine solution substituting for tap water drunk ad libium for 5 days before and 6 days after operation. Blood and liver tissue were sampled at the time of sacrifice on the 8th day post operation. Plasma total bilirubin, endotoxin, levels, as well as TNF-α, ET-1 and NO contents in liver tissue were determined. RESULTS: Plasma endotoxin and total bilirubin levels were significantly higher in both bile duct-ligated and bile duct-ligated plus glycine-treated rats than in sham-operated animals (P=0.000613, 0.00921 and 0.00737, 0.00841 respectively), whereas they did not display any statistically significant difference between the former groups (P=0.417 and 0.374 respectively). Likewise, TNF-α, ET-1 and NO contents in both plasma and liver tissue were significantly increased in both bile duct-ligated and bile duct-ligated plus glycine-treated rats compared with sham-operated animals (P=0.00813, 0.00793, 0.00671, 0.00804, 0.00872, and 0.00947 in plasma and 0.00531, 0.00785, 0.00912,0.00981 and 0.00635 in liver tissue respectively). However, these inflammatory mediators in both plasma and liver tissue were significantly reduced in bile duct-ligated rats fed on 5 % glycine solution compared with that without (P=0.00953, 0.00891, 0.0795, 0.00867, 0.0697 and 0.00907 in plasma and liver tissue respectively). CONCLUSION: Reduction of TNF-α, ET-1 and NO contents in plasma and liver tissue of rats fed on glycine may be helpful to alleviate pathological lesions in obstructive jaundice.