The expression of serum interleukin-18(IL-18) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in alcohol liver disease of rats

Objective To observe the level changes of serum interleukin-18(IL-18) and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) in alcohol liver disease of rats.Methods The dose of 56% alcohol [5～9 g/(kg·d)] was administeredvia gastrolavage once daily for 12 weeks in ALD model rats.The control rats were grven the same volume of saline.The rats were killed at the end of 4,8,12W.The pathological changes of liver were observed under light microscope after HE staining,and the levels of IL-18 and TNF-α in serum was determined with ELISA.Results The tissues of model rats showed various changes of chronic alcohol liver disease at the end of 4,8,12W,such as: fatty degeneration,inflammatory changes and fibrosis.The levels of ALT and AST in models were obviously higher than those of the controls(P0.05).The levels of IL-18 in models were obviously lower than the controls,and TNF-α was higher,and the changes varied according to different degrees of liver damage.Conclusions The level changes of serum IL-18 and TNF-α in alcohol liver disease in rats are related to the degree of severity of the hepatitis,and indicate that the development of the hepatitis relating to the changes of IL-18 and TNF-α.