Fas and Caspases expression in liver of Echinococcus multilocularis infected hosts

Abstract

Objective To investigate the expression of Fas and Caspases in the liver of Echinococcus multilocularis ( E multilocularis) infected hosts.Methods Sxiteen paired samples of alveolar echinococcosis (AE)-infected patients and 16 BALB/C mice were seleced.The pathological changes of the liver,apoptosis and the expression of Fas,Caspase-3,Caspase-8 and Caspase-9 were observed.Results In AEinfected patients,hepatocytes around the lesions displayed edema,fibrosis was seen around the bile duct and hepatocytes had spotty necrosis.Significant apoptosis was observed in the hepatocyes of AE-infected patients [ (74.0 ± 15.0)％ vs.(4.2 ±3.3)％ ] with high expression ofFas [ (71.3 ± 19.0)％ vs.(5.2 ±1.6)％],Caspase-8 [(37.6±3.5)％ vs.(4.0±1.8)％],Caspase-9 [(24.7±13.8)％ vs.(2.0± 1.4) ％ ] and Caspase-3 [ (39.4 ± 18.3 ) ％ vs.(3.3 ± 2.9) ％ ] (P ＜ 0.05 ).In the liver of E multilocularis-infected mice,multiple granulomas were formed and obvious fibrosis appeared around E multilocularis lesions.Significant apoptosis of hepatocytes was observed 9 ( 37.5 ± 5.2) ％ vs.( 13.9 ± 2.7 ) ％ ]with high expression of Fas [ (48.3 ± 6.2 ) ％ vs.(4.6 ± 1.2 ) ％ ],Caspase-3 [ ( 29.7 ± 6.3 ) ％ vs.(5.2±1.9)％],Caspase-8 [(23.1 ±2.9)％ vs.(3.5±1.4)％] andCaspase-9 [(16.7±3.2)％ vs.(2.3 ± 1.1 )％ ] (P ＜0.05).Conclusion E multilocularis infection can lead to apoptosis of hepatocytes in hosts,suggesting the involvement of Fas- and Caspases-mediated apoptotic pathway in E multilocularisinduced liver injury. Key words: Liver; Echinococcus multilocularis; Fas; Caspases