{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,17]],"date-time":"2026-03-17T07:46:38Z","timestamp":1773733598065,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":26,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,15]],"date-time":"2026-03-15T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1773532800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/100032498","name":"Universidad Nacional Jorge Basadre Grohmann","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","award":["10570-2022-UNJBG"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["10570-2022-UNJBG"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100032498","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"crossref"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Diseases"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Chronic liver fibrosis is a progressive pathological condition characterized by excessive extracellular matrix deposition and architectural remodeling, which may ultimately lead to cirrhosis and liver failure. Although mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) exhibit antifibrotic and immunomodulatory properties, their therapeutic effects in established chronic liver fibrosis remain incompletely defined. This study aimed to evaluate the biochemical, hematological, and histopathological effects of MSC therapy in a chronic thioacetamide-induced liver fibrosis model. Methods: A controlled preclinical experimental study was conducted using rats with liver fibrosis induced by intraperitoneal thioacetamide administration for 24 weeks. Animals were allocated into three groups: control, untreated fibrosis, and fibrosis treated with MSCs derived from human umbilical cord tissue after fibrosis establishment. Serum biochemical markers, hematological parameters, and liver histopathology were assessed. Fibrosis severity was evaluated using hematoxylin\u2013eosin and Masson\u2019s trichrome staining and graded according to the METAVIR scoring system. Results: Thioacetamide exposure induced chronic liver injury characterized by marked elevations in serum transaminases, reduced albumin and total protein levels, hematological alterations, and early-to-intermediate fibrosis stages (METAVIR F1\u2013F2). MSC-treated animals exhibited approximately 40\u201345% reductions in transaminase levels, partial recovery of hepatic synthetic function, and attenuation of hematological alterations. Histopathological analysis demonstrated a reduction in fibrotic burden and limitation of fibrogenic progression within METAVIR F1\u2013F2 stages. Conclusions: MSC therapy partially mitigates biochemical, hematological, and histopathological alterations associated with chronic thioacetamide-induced liver fibrosis, supporting its potential as a modulatory strategy to attenuate fibrogenic progression and stabilize liver function rather than as a curative intervention.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/diseases14030108","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,16]],"date-time":"2026-03-16T08:41:26Z","timestamp":1773650486000},"page":"108","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Integrated Functional and Histopathological Modulation of Chronic Thioacetamide-Induced Liver Fibrosis by Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy in a Preclinical Model"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1597-8370","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Anthony Brayan Rivera","family":"Prado","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory of Regenerative Medicine, Universidad Nacional Jorge Basadre Grohmann, Avenida Miraflores S\/N, Ciudad Universitaria, Tacna 23003, Peru"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7534-8923","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Luis Lloja","family":"Lozano","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory of Regenerative Medicine, Universidad Nacional Jorge Basadre Grohmann, Avenida Miraflores S\/N, Ciudad Universitaria, Tacna 23003, Peru"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Daysi Zulema","family":"Diaz Obreg\u00f3n","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Innovation and Science for the Care and Support of Society\u2014INNOVACARE, Lima 15024, Peru"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"V\u00edctor Hugo","family":"Carbajal Zegarra","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory of Regenerative Medicine, Universidad Nacional Jorge Basadre Grohmann, Avenida Miraflores S\/N, Ciudad Universitaria, Tacna 23003, Peru"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Joel","family":"De Le\u00f3n Delgado","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Research Center for Virology, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de San Mart\u00edn de Porres, Lima 15001, Peru"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Jhon Wilfredo","family":"Pando Mayta","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Cryopreservation and Cell Therapy, Lima 15001, Peru"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7372-2608","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Alexis German Murillo","family":"Carrasco","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Immunology and Cancer Research Group (IMMUCA), Organization for Medical Innovation and Collaboration for Science OMICS, Lima 15001, Peru"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Kelly Geraldine","family":"Yparraguirre Salcedo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory of Regenerative Medicine, Universidad Nacional Jorge Basadre Grohmann, Avenida Miraflores S\/N, Ciudad Universitaria, Tacna 23003, Peru"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0293-1138","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Claudio Willbert","family":"Ramirez Atencio","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory of Regenerative Medicine, Universidad Nacional Jorge Basadre Grohmann, Avenida Miraflores S\/N, Ciudad Universitaria, Tacna 23003, Peru"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,15]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"209","DOI":"10.1172\/JCI24282","article-title":"Liver fibrosis","volume":"115","author":"Bataller","year":"2005","journal-title":"J. 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