ubiquinone and Hypertension--Portal

In cirrhosis, activated hepatic stellate cells (HSC) play a major role in increasing intrahepatic vascular resistance and developing portal hypertension. We have shown that cirrhotic livers have increased reactive oxygen species (ROS), and that antioxidant therapy decreases portal pressure. Considering that mitochondria produce many of these ROS, our aim was to assess the effects of the oral mitochondria-targeted antioxidant mitoquinone on hepatic oxidative stress, HSC phenotype, liver fibrosis and portal hypertension.. Mitoquinone deactivated human and rat HSC, decreased their proliferation but with no effects on viability. In CCl. We propose mitochondria-targeted antioxidants as a novel treatment approach against portal hypertension and cirrhosis.

Topics: Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Antioxidants; Cell Line; Cell Proliferation; Cell Survival; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Hepatic Stellate Cells; Humans; Hypertension, Portal; Liver Cirrhosis, Experimental; Male; Mitochondria, Liver; Organophosphorus Compounds; Oxidative Stress; Phenotype; Portal Pressure; Rats, Wistar; Reactive Oxygen Species; Time Factors; Ubiquinone