BDL significantly increases MIP-1α but decreases TNFα expression, while TAA markedly decreases TNFα and MCP-1 expression in the livers of rats
Macrophages are key regulators of fibrosis development(23). The liver contains macrophages including Kupffer cells and macrophages filtered from the blood. When activated, they can produce and release many proinflammatory cytokines, such as TNFα, MIP-2, MIP-1α and MCP-1. These cytokines may attract other proinflammatory cells and recruit macrophages themselves to sites of inflammation. As Table 4 shows, the TNFα, MIP-2 and MCP-1 levels were significantly higher in the livers of control female rats than in the livers of male rats. BDL or TAA treatment significantly reduced TNFα and MCP-1 levels and slightly increased MIP-2 levels; BDL significantly increased the level of MIP-1 α in female rats, but TAA had no obvious effect on MIP-1α in male rats (Figure 5).