Abstract: Objective:To investigate the value of intravital fluorescence microscopy in the observation of the changes of hepatic microcirculation in the rat model with hepatic cirrhosis and portal hypertension.
Methods: Seventy male SD rats were selected. According to the random number table, 40 SD rats were randomly divided into the sham operation group, bile duct ligation (BDL) 2 weeks group, 4 weeks group and 6 weeks group, there were 10 rats in each group, and the hepatic microcirculation of the rats was observed with intravital fluorescence microscope; the remaing 30 SD rats were randomly divided into the normal saline (NS) group, 〖HJ*8〗endothelin-1 (ET-1) group and the S-nitrosoglutathion (GSNO) group at 4 weeks later after the establishment of BDL model. The changes of hepatic microcirculation of the 3 groups were observed. All data were analyzed using the one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) or paired samples t test.
Results:Nine rats died in the BDL model groups, and the survival rate was 85.0%(51/60). All rats in the sham operation group were survived. The hepatic sinusoid diameters were decreased as time passed by. The hepatic sinusoid diameters of the BDL 2 weeks group, 4 weeks group and 6 weeks group were (13.6±1.0)μm, (8.8±0.7)μm and (8.0±0.5)μm, respectively, which were significantly shorter than (17.4±1.0)μm of the sham operation group (t=5.86, 18.24, 15.57, P<0.05). The hepatic sinusoid densities of the BDL 2 weeks group, 4 weeks group and 6 weeks group were (6.8±0.8)/200 μm, (4.3±1.8)/200 μm and (4.0±1.2)/200 μm, which were significantly lesser than (8.8±0.5)/200 μm (t=3.25, 2.77, 2.12, P<0.05). At 15 minutes after injection of NS, the hepatic sinusoid diameter of the NS group was (7.2±1.2)μm, which was significantly different from (6.9±0.5)μm before injection of NS (t= 0.89, P>0.05); the hepatic sinusoid density of the NS group before and after injection of NS were (6.6±0.4)/200 μm and (6.8±1.4)/200 μm, with no significant difference(t= 1.12, P>0.05). At 15 minutes after injection of ET-1, the hepatic sinusoid diameter of the ET-1 group was (5.4±0.5)μm, which was significantly different from (7.9±0.6)μm before injection of ET-1 (t=7.39, P<0.05); the hepatic sinusoid density of the ET-1 group before and after ET-1 injection were (5.8±1.2)/200 μm and (5.4±1.8)/200 μm, with no significant difference(t=0.84, P>0.05). At 15 minutes after injection of the GSNO, the hepatic sinusoid diameter of the GSNO group was (11.4±1.3)μm, which was significantly different from (7.5±1.7)μm before injection of GSNO (t=5.95, P<0.05); the hepatic sinusoid density of the GSNO group before and after GSNO injection were(5.6±0.8)/200 μm and (6.4±1.6)/200 μm, with no significant difference (t=0.54, P> 0.05).
Conclusions: The changes of hepatic microcirculation observed under intravital fluorescence microscope could reflect the progress of hepatic cirrhosis, and the changes of hepatic sinusoid diameters caused by drugs could be dynamically monitored under the intravital fluorescence microscope.