Expression of NALP3 in the spleen of mice with portal hypertension.

This study examined the mRNA expression of NALP3 in the spleen of the mice with hypersplenism due to portal hypertension (PH). The mouse hypersplenism models were established by oral administration of tetrachloromethane (2 mL/kg/week for 12 weeks by oral gavage). All the mice were randomly divided into a control group and an experimental group. The blood routine test was conducted, spleen index was calculated and spleen was histologically examined. Portal vein sera were taken for detection of the level of uric acid. The mRNA expressions of NALP3 and IL-1beta in the spleen were detected by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The results showed that the platelet count was significantly lower in the experimental group [(674 + or - 102) x 10(9)/L] than in the control group [(1307 + or - 181) x 10(9)/L] (P<0.05), while the spleen index was significantly higher [(9.83 + or - 1.36) microg/g] in the experimental group than in the control group [(4.11 + or - 0.47) microg/g] (P<0.05). The histopathological changes of spleen followed the pattern of congestive splenomegaly. No significant difference was found in the uric acid level in the portal vein between the control group and the experiment group. The mRNA expressions of NALP3 and IL-1beta were up-regulated significantly in the spleen in the experimental group as compared with those in the control group (P<0.05). It was concluded that NALP3 and IL-1beta may play important roles in the pathogenesis of hypersplenism.