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Abstract This study is an experimental study and was designed to investigate the hepatic response to transplantation of UCB stem cells in CCl4 injured liver in rats. The study groups were five groups: GI was normal control treated with sham vehicle, GII was untreated after CCl4 induction for 8 weeks, GIII was treated with CD34+ stem cells after 8 weeks of CCl4 induction, GIV was treated with CD34- stem cells after 8 weeks of CCl4 induction and GV was treated with human mononuclear stem cells after 8 weeks of CCl4 induction. Isolation of CD34+, CD34- and human mononuclear stem cells was carried out in Stem Cell Unit in the Physiology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University after cord blood collection in the Gynecology and Obstetrics department, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University. CCl4 was injected subcutaneously every 3 days for 8 weeks. After verification of liver fibrosis CD34+, CD34- or human mononuclear stem cells were injected intravenously in tail vein of GIII, GIV and GVconsecutively. Half of animals were sacrificed after 6 weeks of stem cells therapy and the other half was sacrificed after 8 weeks. Liver was taken from all animals and was prepared for histopathological examination and IHC staining. Blood was collected before scarifying the rats for evaluating the parameters of liver functions (ALT, AST, GGT, albumin and Procollagen III as a marker of fibrosis). Level of serum ALT, AST and GGT were improved in rats receiving stem cells transplantation after CCl4 challenge, whereas serum albumin and Procollagen III did not show significant change in all groups. Also, histological examination suggested that hepatic damage recovery was much better in the stem cells treated rats. The improvement was better in GIII and GIV than GV which indicate that the CD34+ and CD34- stem cells are better than human mononuclear stem cells in treating rat model of liver fibrosis. More importantly, IHC staining with monoclonal mouse anti-human CD34, albumin and cytokeratin 19 (CK19) revealed homing of stem cells. More importantly, IHC staining with monoclonal mouse anti-rat CD68, CD8 and CD4 revealed that treatment with stem cells did not stimulate rats immune system so we can use it without immunosupression to the rats. |