Balb/c mice were divided into five groups. Group I (Control): The saline buffer (sb) was injected intraperitoneally (ip) to the mice for 15 days. Group II (Silibin): 150 mg/kg silibin was injected ip for 15 days. Group III (Ehrlich): 2 × 105 cells were transferred from the donor mouse to healthy mice on first day. Group IV (Ehrlich + Silibin): Silibin was given between 5th and 15th days to mice inoculated with EAT. Group V (Silibin + Ehrlich): Silibin was injected for 15 days after EAT cells. The liver sections were stained with matrix metalloproteinase-2 and -9 (MMP-2 and MMP-9), caspase 3, caspase 8, and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) antibodies by the streptavidin–biotin–peroxidase technique. Biochemical analysis and Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick-end labeling (TUNEL) method were performed in the liver.
Superoxide dismutase levels of liver increased in Ehrlich + Silibin group compared with Ehrlich group. Malondialdehyde levels significantly decreased in Silibin + Ehrlich group compared with Ehrlich + Silibin. MMP-2 and MMP-9 immunopositive cells increased in Silibin + Ehrlich compared with Ehrlich group. Caspase 3 and TUNEL signals significantly increased in Silibin + Ehrlich group compared with Ehrlich group. PCNA positive signals significantly increased in Ehrlich + Silibin group compared with Ehrlich group.
According to our findings, we suggest that silibin treatment after EAT cells inoculation has more effective than concurrently EAT and silibin treatment.