Truncated Active Human Matrix Metalloproteinase-8 Delivered by a Chimeric Adenovirus-Hepatitis B Virus Vector Ameliorates Rat Liver Cirrhosis
Figure 5
Chimeric Ad-HBV vector delivering truncated MMP-8 achieves similar amelioration of fibrosis and cirrhosis as a conventional full-length MMP-8 Ad vector.
(A) Gross morphology and histology. Livers and liver sections from rats of the same treatment groups as in Fig. 4 were analyzed for gross morphology (Gross view), and by hematoxylin - eosin (HE) staining, Sirius red collogen staining, or immunohistochemical staining specific for type I collagen. (B) Overall collagen contents. Sirius red staining followed by polarizing microscopy was used to determine the collagen positive areas per liver sections. (C) Knodell fibrosis scores. The highly elevated collogen levels and Knodell scores in the cirrhotic animals treated with the RFP2 Ad vector or saline were strongly reduced by treatment with either the full-length MMP-8 Ad vector or the chimeric Ad-HBV vector delivering truncated tMMP8. Error bars represent standard deviations (n = 3).