Abstract: Objective    To investigate the effect of prostacyclin E1 (PGE1) on the expressions of Smad2 and Smad4 mRNA in rabbits with hepatic fibrosis after embolization with lipiodol. Methods   Thirty-six adult rabbits were randomly divided into sham operation group, model group and administration group. After one week acclimation, all the rabbits in the three groups were intubated under anesthesia, and hepatic artery embolization with iodized oil was simulated. Then, 1 mL normal saline was injected into the right hepatic artery in the sham operation group, 1 mL iodized oil and 0.2 mL PGE1 were injected into the right hepatic artery in the administration group, and 1 mL iodized oil was injected through the right hepatic artery in the model group. On the 2nd, 4th, 6th and 8th day after the operation, the serum indices of each group were detected by ELISA. On the 8th day after the operation, all the rabbits were euthanized, and their liver tissues were taken out for pathological examination. The mRNA levels of Smad2 and Smad4 in the liver tissues of each group were detected by RT-PCR. Results    There was no significant change in the serological indices of the rabbits in the sham operation group on the 2nd, 4th, 6th and 8th day after operation. Compared with the sham operation group, the serological indices of the administration group and the model group increased significantly with time (P<0.05). Compared with the model group, the serological indices of each time point in the administration group decreased significantly (P<0.05). On the 8th day after operation, there was no obvious fibrosis in the sham operation group, while there were different degrees of fibrosis in the pathological specimens of the administration group and the model group, and the fibrosis in the administration group was more obvious than that in the model group (P<0.05). The expression levels of Smad2 and Smad4 mRNA in the liver tissues of rabbits in the administration group and the model group were significantly higher than those in the sham operation group (P<0.05). The expressions of Smad2 and Smad4 mRNA in the liver tissues of the administration group were significantly lower than those of the model group (P<0.05). Conclusion    PGE1 can improve the liver fibrosis and decrease the expressions of Smad2 and Smad4 mRNA in liver tissues, which has a positive effect on the protection of liver injury.

Key words: Prostacyclin E1, Hepatic artery, Lipiodol embolization, Fibrosis, Smad2, Smad4