Liver fibrosis has a different effect on the "lifespan" of lymphocytes and neutrophils in the in vitro system isolated from the bone marrow of young and old rats

Abstract

Background: The content of lymphocytes and neutrophils in the bone marrow of young (3 months) and old (20 months) rats was investigated. The ability of lymphocytes to proliferate after transferring the bone marrow cells of young and old animals to the primary culture and the "lifespan" of neutrophils in culture, as well as the effect of liver fibrosis in young and old animals on the studied cell characteristics was determined. Methods: Experiments were performed on male Wistar rats two age groups: young (3 month old) and old (20 month old) ones. Animals were divided into groups: an intact control group, a group with Cu–induced liver fibrosis and a group with CCl4–induced liver fibrosis. Cu–induced fibrosis was induced by repeated administration of copper sulphate, CCl4–induced fibrosis was induced by multiple intraperitoneally administration per chloromethane mixed with olive oil. Bone marrow cells were isolated from the 2 femoral bones of the rat, 8 animals were used in each variant. Cells cultured in medium 199 with HEPES and 20% inactivated fetal calf serum and antibiotics. Results: The content of lymphocytes in the bone marrow of old animals was 167% more than in young ones. Induction of liver fibrosis with copper sulfate increased the lymphocyte count in the bone marrow in young animals by 167% and in old animals only by 26%. While the induction of fibrosis with carbon tetrachloride increased the content of lymphocytes in young animals by 71%, and in old animals, on the contrary, decreased their number by 33%. The "lifespan" of neutrophils isolated from old animals was higher in the primary culture than from neutrophils obtained from young animals. Liver fibrosis reduced the "lifespan" of neutrophils in culture. Possible mechanisms of this phenomenon are discussed.