Intravenous injection of vascular endothelial growth factor in treatment of hepatic cirrhosis with portal hypertension in rats

[Objective] To explore the effects of intravenous administration of vascular endothelial growth factor in treatment of model rats with portal hypertension. [Method] 40 male sprague dawley rats with portal hypertension were divided into two groups. There were 24 rats in trial group and 16 in control group, respectively. VEGF (1 μg/mL) with heparin(50 U) or heparin-saline (50 U/mL) was administered daily via the tail vein for 7 days (treatment groupⅠ, n=12;control groupⅠ, n=8) or 14 days (treatment groupⅡ, n=12;control groupⅡ, n=8). Portal venous pressure, liver function and hemocyte were measured at 8th or 15th day. Meanwhile, the density of microvessels(MVD) and the expression of VEGF in liver were measured by immunohistochemistry (SABC) after the rats were executed. [Result] Compared with control groupⅠ in 8 days, the VEGF treated rats had more microvessels, high expression of VEGF, decreasing portal venous pressure, better liver function and increasing hemocyte. But there was no significant difference between control groupⅠ and treatment groupⅠ(P 0.05). After 15 days, treatment groupⅡ had more microvessels, high expression of VEGF, decreasing portal venous pressure, better liver function and increasing hemocyte. There was significant differentiation between the two group(P 0.05). [Conclusion] Intravenous administration of VEGF for 14 days is capable of significantly promoting the liver microvessels, decreasing portal venous pressure, improving liver function and increasing blood cell.