Fig. 1.

Effect of BDL on plasma bilirubin, transaminases, and survival rate. Under light ether anesthesia, animals were subjected to bile-duct-ligation (BDL). At the indicated times after BDL, plasma levels of total-bilirubin (A), AST (B), and ALT (C), were measured as described in the text. During the experiment, survival rate of animals was analyzed (D). Open circles: control mice (BDL alone); Open squares, animals pretreated with antibiotics from 1 week before BDL (Abx); Closed squares, animals splenectomized just before BDL (Spx); Closed circles, iNOS^−/− mice which received BDL (iNOS^−/−). Crosses, sham-operated mice. Statistical difference between control (BDL alone) and experimental groups is analyzed by Student’s t test. *p<0.05