The Effects of Interferon α2b on Chemically-Induced Peritoneal Fibrosis and on Peritoneal Tissue MMP-2 and TIMP-2 Levels in Rats

This study investigated the effect of interferon α2b on chlorhexidine gluconate (CH)-induced peritoneal fibrosis (PF) in rats and assessed peritoneal tissue levels of metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMP)-2. Wistar albino rats (n = 8 per group) were treated as follows: control group, 3 ml/day of 0.9% saline intra-peritoneally for 28 days; CH group, 0.1% CH (200 g [3 ml]/day) in 15% ethanol and 0.9% saline intra-peritoneally for 28 days; CH + interferon (IFN) group, CH (as above) plus pegylated IFN-α2b 1.5 μg/kg per week subcutaneously on days 0, 7, 14, 21 and 28; IFN group, pegylated IFN-α2b (as above). Parietal peritoneum samples were obtained from the left anterior abdominal wall after 35 days. Parietal thickness, degree of vascular proliferation and inflammation, and MMP-2 and TIMP-2 levels were determined. The mean peritoneal thicknesses of the control, CH, CH + IFN and IFN groups were 7.02 ± 3.89, 156.86 ± 29.13, 59.88 ± 22.1, 9.27 ± 2.03 μm, respectively. Pegylated IFN-α2b decreased CH-induced expression of MMP-2 in the parietal peritoneum, but had no effect on TIMP-2 levels. Further studies are needed to determine the optimal dosage and duration for pegylated IFN-α2b treatment.