Liver Injury Model in Mice for Immunopharmacological Study

Abstract

Experimental liver injury was produced in mice by the immunological technique. The utility of these models as an immunopharmacological method was investigated. The first model was produced by the injection of anti-basic liver protein (BLP) rabbit antibody into DBA/2 mice that had been previously immunized with rabbit IgG. The second liver injury was caused by injection of anti-liver specific protein (LSP) rabbit antibody into DBA/2 mice. The third model was produced by the injection of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) into Corynebacterium parvum pretreated ddY mice. In all injury models, extensive liver parenchymal cell damage was estimated by elevation of glutamate transaminase (GOT and GPT) activity. These were confirmed by histopathological studies of the liver. Typical histopathological changes in the liver from injured mice were submassive hepatocellular necrosis and infiltration of granulocytes and lymphocytes into the portal tract and sinusoid in the necrotic lesion. Administration of prednisolone and cyclophosphamide for 10 days prior to injection of eliciting antibodies or LPS suppressed the elevation of serum transaminase levels in all experimental liver injury models. Cianidanol and sylibin inhibited the elevation of GOT and GPT in anti-BLP induced liver injured mice. These evidences suggest that the above models are suitable for investigating the remedy for liver diseases.