| Abstract: | Liver injury accompanied by apoptosis of hepatocytes was provoked in mice by an intravenous injection of recombinant tumor necrosis factor-α (rTNF-α) (1.0 µg/kg) together with an intraperitoneal injection of D-galactosamine (D-gal) (500 mg/kg). Injection of various doses of dibutyryl cAMP (DBcAMP) protected mice from TNF-α/D-gal-induced liver injury as assessed by serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels, histological examination and DNA fragmentation. DBcAMP significantly enhanced the Hsp70 expression in the hepatocytes of D-gal/TNF-α-injected mice in close correlation with supression of liver injury. DBcAMP induced Hsp70 expression in the hepatocyte in vitro. These results suggest that increase in Hsp70 expression by DBcAMP is involved in protective mechanisms by DBcAMP against TNF-α-induced liver injury in D-gal-sensitized mice. |
