Changes in morphometric indicators of liver blood vessels under conditions of long-term ethanol exposure

Abstract

In press

Hyperdynamic splanchnic blood circulation is an important component of portal hypertension syndrome, which develops under conditions of chronic alcoholic hepatitis. Angiogenesis caused by alcohol consumption contributes to the development of splanchnic hyperemia and the development of portal-systemic collaterals. The purpose of the study is to study the morphometric indicators of the vascular bed of the liver of rats under the conditions of chronic alcoholic hepatitis modeling. Experiments were performed on 30 white, sexually mature male Wistar rats weighing 180–220 g. The animals were divided into 2 groups: I (control group) contained 6 rats; II – 24 rats that modeled chronic alcoholic hepatitis by the method of forced intermittent alcoholization for 5 days, with a repeat after two days by intraperitoneal injection of a 16.5% ethanol solution in a 5.0% glucose solution, at the rate of 4 ml/kg of body weight. Animals were removed from the experiment on days 35, 42, 49, and 56 by taking blood from the right ventricle of the heart under thiopental anesthesia. On the 35^th day of simulation of chronic alcoholic hepatitis, the inner diameter of central veins, lobular arterioles and interlobular veins increased, and interlobular arteries and lobular venules decreased compared to the control. On the 42^nd day of simulation of chronic alcoholic hepatitis, the internal diameter of central veins, lobular arterioles and interlobular veins increased, and interlobular arteries decreased compared to the control. On the 49^th day of simulation of chronic alcoholic hepatitis, the inner diameter of the central veins, lobular arterioles, and interlobular veins increased, and the interlobular arteries decreased compared to the control. On the 56^th day of simulation of chronic alcoholic hepatitis, the inner diameter of the central veins and lobular arterioles increased, and the interlobular arteries and lobular venules decreased compared to the control.

Keywords: arteries, veins, arterioles, venules, sinusoidal capillaries.