关键词: 日本血吸虫, 白细胞介素9, 肝星状细胞, 肝纤维化

Abstract: Objective　To investigate the effects of interleukin-9 (IL-9) in the activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) in mice infected with Schistosoma japonicum. Methods　Primary HSCs were isolated from mice 7 weeks post-infection with S. japonicum using the in situ liver perfusion and density gradient centrifugation, and cultured in vitro. HSCs were randomly assigned to the PBS control group and IL-9 stimulation group (stimulation with 20 ng/mL IL-9). HSCs were harvested 48 h and 72 h post-stimulation, and the expression of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), typeⅠcollagen (ColⅠ) and type Ⅲ collagen (Col Ⅲ) was determined in HSCs using Western blotting. Results　Following stimulation with 20 ng/mL IL-9 for 48 h, the expression of α-SMA [(0.87 ± 0.02) vs. (0.69 ± 0.01); t = 17.39, P < 0.01], ColⅠ[(0.74 ± 0.02) vs. (0.65 ± 0.01); t = 9.56, P < 0.01] and Col Ⅲ [(0.94 ± 0.04) vs. (0.75 ± 0.03); t = 6.15, P < 0.01] was significantly greater in HSCs in the IL-9 stimulation group than in the PBS control group. Following stimulation with 20 ng/mL IL-9 for 72 h, the expression of α-SMA was significantly greater in HSCs in the IL-9 stimulation group than in the PBS control group [(0.76 ± 0.02) vs. (0.58 ± 0.02); t = 12.52, P < 0.01]; however, there were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of ColⅠ[(0.68 ± 0.02) vs. (0.66 ± 0.02); t = 1.15, P > 0.05] or Col Ⅲ expression [(0.75 ± 0.01) vs. (0.72 ± 0.02); t = 2.22, P > 0.05]. Conclusion　IL-9 promotes the activation of HSCs in mice infected with S. japonicum.

Key words: Schistosoma japonicum, Interleukin-9, Hepatic stellate cell, Hepatic fibrosis