Protective effect of central thyrotropin-releasing hormone on carbon tetrachloride-induced acute hepatocellular necrosis in rats.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) acts in the brain to stimulate hepatic proliferation and blood flow through vagal-muscarinic and prostaglandin-mediated pathways. Hepatic blood flow and prostaglandins are well recognized as cytoprotective factors for liver damage, and central TRH is known to play a role in gastric cytoprotection. The effect of central TRH on carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4))-induced acute hepatocellular necrosis was investigated in rats.

METHODS: Male fasted rats were injected with either TRH analog, RX 77368 (1-10 ng), or vehicle intracisternally, and CCl(4) (2.0 ml/kg) was injected subcutaneously 60 min later. Acute hepatocellular necrosis was assessed by serum hepatic enzymes and histological changes 24 h after CCl(4).

RESULTS: Intracisternal TRH dose-dependently inhibited elevation of serum alanine aminotransferase level induced by CCl(4). Intracisternal TRH reduced CCl(4)-induced hepatic histological changes. The cytoprotective effect of central TRH on CCl(4)-induced acute hepatocellular necrosis was abolished by hepatic branch vagotomy, atropine, indomethacin and N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester, but not by 6-hydroxydopamine. Intravenous TRH did not influence CCl(4)-induced acute hepatocellular necrosis.

CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the cytoprotective effect of central TRH on acute hepatocellular necrosis is mediated through vagal-muscarinic, and prostaglandin- and nitric oxide-dependent pathways.