Acute liver toxicity by carbon tetrachloride in HSP70 knock out mice

The effects of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) treatment on acute liver damage in knock out (heat shock proteins—HSP70−/−) mice and wild-type (C57BL/6) mice were examined. Acute liver injury was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of 0.3 ML/kg CCl4 in olive oil. Mice were sacrificed at 12, 24, 48 and 72 h after treatment. To assess hepatotoxicity, alanine transaminase, neutrophil infiltration and degree of necrosis were measured. Western blot analysis was employed for heat shock proteins. The result revealed that HSP70−/− mice showed higher alanine transaminase levels and a more severe degree of neutrophilic infiltration and necrosis than those of wild-type mice. Furthermore, HSP70−/− mice recovered more slowly from CCl4 treatment. In HSP70−/− mice, HSP47 was overexpressed. Therefore, HSP70−/− mice could be an adequate model of acute liver toxicity study.