Effects of fish oil on cell proliferation and liver injury in an experimental model of acute hepatic injury induced by carbon tetrachloride.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to investigate the effect of fish oil on the hepatic injury and cell cycle phases as well as cellular proliferation- regeneration in a rat model of acute hepatic injury induced by carbon tetrachloride.

BACKGROUND

Compensatory cell proliferation and tissue regeneration occurs as an endogenous response following chemical damage to the liver and enable animals to over come the injury. Data related to effect of fish oil on liver injury induced by chemical hepatotoxicants are controversial.

METHOD: 60 male Wistar-albino rats were fed either with a diet supplemented with 20% fish oil or standard rat feed for 2 weeks. After an overnight fast, rats in each group were administered either 1 ml/kg carbon tetrachloride or saline intraperitoneally.

RESULTS

Fish oil enriched diet significantly enhanced the carbon tetrachloride - associated necroinflammatory damage, ballooning degeneration and the elevation of serum transaminases induced by carbon tetrachloride. Furthermore fish oil diet prevented cell proliferation, increased the proportion of cells in the G0/G1phase concomitant with a decrease in the proportion of cells in the S phase cells.

CONCLUSION

Fish oil diet exacerbates the hepatic injury and prevents cell proliferation-regeneration in normal and injured liver cells. Suppression of tissue regeneration by fish oil may lead to progression of the hepatic injury (Tab. 3, Fig. 4, Ref. 31).