TY - JOUR AU - Motokata, Michael E. PY - 1996/06/01 Y2 - 2024/03/28 TI - Pre-Fibrotic Changes are Induced in the Guinea Pig Liver in Response to Cardiorespiratory, Central Nervous System, and Gastrointestinal Stressors JF - McGill Journal of Medicine JA - McGill J Med VL - 2 IS - 1 SE - Research Article DO - 10.26443/mjm.v2i1.346 UR - https://mjm.mcgill.ca/article/view/346 SP - AB - <p>To determine the relationship between stress and the incidence of liver fibrosis, 140 guinea pigs were</p><p>exposed to various stressors, and their post-mortem livers were assessed. Four stress groups-<br>cardiorespiratory (CR), central nervous system (CNS), gastrointestinal (GI), and combined (Cd)were</p><p>designated in accordance with the stressor(s) experienced and were compared to unstressed control<br>subjects. By blood chemistry analysis, the most pervasive findings were decreased glucose and</p><p>increased amylase. Stress group blood glucose levels ranged from 22% to 38% below that of non-<br>stressed controls, and serum amylase was increased by 35% to 68% relative to controls. The reduction</p><p>in glucose was significant in the CR and GI groups, and the elevation in amylase was significant in the<br>CR, GI, and Cd groups. Pathologically, the most frequent finding among the four groups was fatty<br>change, present in 44% of stressed subjects, followed by passive congestion, observed in 40%. The Cd<br>group demonstrated a significantly increased incidence of congestion, while both the Cd and GI groups<br>showed a significantly increased incidence of fatty change. Subjects in whom congestion was detected<br>showed a 1.7-fold greater fibroblast proliferation than subjects in whom fatty change was seen. The<br>most extensive pathological changes were manifested in the Cd group, in the form of congestion,<br>hemorrhage, fatty change, and fibroblast proliferation. Among the three single-stress groups, the<br>greatest degree of fibroblast proliferation and collagen deposition, and hence the greatest potential for<br>fibrosis, was evident in the GI group. The fibroblastosis in the GI group was statistically significant,<br>presenting a direct pathological indication of pre-fibrotic change. These results provide preliminary<br>evidence that stress is capable of inducing pathological processes in the liver that may lead to fibrosis<br>and, ultimately, to cirrhosis.</p> ER -