Oxidative Stress and Pulmonary Changes in Experimental Liver Cirrhosis

The use of carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4)) in rats is an experimental model of hepatic tissue damage; which leads to fibrosis, and at the long term, cirrhosis. Cirrhosis is the consequence of progressive continued liver damage, it may be reversible when the damaging noxae have been withdrawn. The aim of this study is to evaluate the changes caused by cirrhosis in lung and liver, through the experimental model of intraperitoneal CCI(4) administration. We used 18 male Wistar rats divided into three groups: control (CO) and two groups divided by the time of cirrhosis induction by CCI(4): G1 (11 weeks), G2 (16 weeks). We found significant increase of transaminase levels and lipid peroxidation (TBARS) in liver and lung tissue and also increased antioxidant enzymes SOD and CAT, as well as the expression of TNF-α and IL-1β in the lung of cirrhotic animals. We observed changes in gas exchange in both cirrhotic groups. We can conclude that our model reproduces a model of liver cirrhosis, which causes alterations in the pulmonary system that leads to changes in gas exchange and size of pulmonary vessels.