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Updated: Apr 6, 2026

Bile Duct Ligation in Mice: Induction of Inflammatory Liver Injury and Fibrosis by Obstructive Cholestasis
Published on: February 10, 2015
Biliary tract external drainage increases the expression levels of heme oxygenase-1 in rat livers
Lu Wang1, Bing Zhao2, Ying Chen3
1Department of Emergency Intensive Care Unit, Shanghai Ruijin Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200025, China. saibeiyin@163.com.
Background:
Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) protects cells by anti-oxidation, maintaining normal microcirculation and anti-inflammatory under stress. This study investigated the effects of biliary tract external drainage (BTED) on the expression levels of HO-1 in rat livers.
Methods:
Biliary tract external drainage was performed by inserting a cannula into the bile duct. Sixty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized to the following groups: sham 1 h group; BTED 1 h group; bile duct ligation (BDL) 1 h group; sham 6 h group and BTED 6 h group. The expression levels of HO-1 mRNA were analyzed using real-time RT-PCR. The expression levels of HO-1 were analyzed using immunohistochemistry.
Results:
The expression levels of HO-1 mRNA in the liver of the BTED group increased significantly compared with the sham group 1 and 6 h after surgery (p < 0.05).The expression levels of HO-1 in the BTED group increased significantly compared with the sham group 1 and 6 h after surgery. The expression levels of HO-1 mRNA in the liver in the BDL group decreased significantly compared with the sham group 1 h after surgery (p < 0.05).The expression levels of HO-1 in the BDL group decreased significantly compared with the sham group at this time.
Conclusion:
Biliary tract external drainages increase the expression levels of HO-1 in the liver.

