Abstract: Objective  To observe the effect of anti-osteopontin antibody on the level of matrix metalloproteinase （MMP-2） and TGF-β1 in gerbils infected with Echinococcus multilocularis.  Methods  One hundred and eighty gerbils were infected with echinococcus protoscoleces（approximately 400 for each gerbil） by abdominal opening inoculation in liver. The gerbils were randomly divided into three groups: anti-osteopontin antibody experiment group（group A）, rabbit serum injection group（group B）, and model group（group C）. Gerbils in groups A and B were injected with anti-osteopontin antibodies and rabbit serum （0.15 ml/gerbil） via tail vein, respectively. Ten gerbils from each group were sacrificed at 20, 60, 100, 140, 180, and 220 days post-infection, respectively. The liver tissue with hydatid cysts were collected and the expression of MMP-2 and TGF-β1 was observed by immunohistochemistry staining（SP method）.  Results  E. multilocularis hydatid tissue spreaded over the liver and abdominal cavity. There was no significant difference in the number of MMP-2-positive gerbils among the three groups（P＞0.05）. At 100, 140, and 180 days post-infection, the number of TGF-β1-positive gerbils in group A （3, 2, and 2） was considerably less than that of group B （8, 8, and 9） and group C （8, 9, and 9）（P<0.05）.  Conclusion  Anti-osteopontin antibody can reduce the expression of TGF-β1 in hepatic alveolar hydatid tissue of gerbils at certain time, but have no effect on MMP2.

Key words: Echinococcus multilocularis﹔Osteopontin﹔Invasive growth；Matrix metalloproteinase-2；TGF-&beta, 1