Objective To study the effect of nanosized silicon dioxide on expression of IL-4 (interleukin-4) and FGF-b (fibroblast growth factor-b) in silicotic lungs of rats.
Methods Female Wistar rats were exposed to lower dosage (20mg/rat) of nanosized silicon dioxide and normal silicon dioxide by intratracneal injection. Rats were killed on the 1st month and 2nd month respectively to observe the pathological changes of silicotic rats by means of HE and VG dyeing and expression of IL-4 and FGF-b by means of immunohistochemical technique.
Results (1) Pathological examination showed that pulmonary fibrosis lesions of rat lung were much lighter in nanosized silicon dioxide groups than that of normal silicon dioxide groups. (2) The expression of IL-4 and TGF-β1 in nanosized silicon dioxide groups was higher than control groups and lighter than normal silicon dioxide groups. The expression of IL-4 was heavier on the 1st month than on the 2nd month both in nanosized silicon dioxide groups and normal silicon dioxide groups. And the expression of FGF-b was similar to both the first and the second month and in both normal silicon dioxide groups and nanosized silicon dioxide groups.
Conclusion The effect of pulmonary fibrosis lesions was light in nanosized silicon dioxide. The expressions of IL-4 in rats lungs were low. FGF-b may have no effect on the fibrosis of the lungs of rats.
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