Fig. 4. UCHL1 inhibition reduces liver fibrosis in vivo.

(A) Experimental plan: Mice were administered with CCl₄ or olive oil for 3 or 8 weeks with the addition of bi-weekly injections of LDN 57444 (LDN drug) or DMSO (vehicle) from week 4. (B) Fibrosis scores expressed as individual data and mean mice according to the Ishak fibrosis scale (n = 5). (C) Necroinflammatory scores expressed as individual data and mean mice according to the Ishak necroinflammation scale (n = 5). (D) Serum plasma levels of the liver enzymes ALT and AST (arbitrary units a.u./ml) were compared between the acute injured mice groups (24 h CCl₄) and chronic (3 and 8 week oil/CCl₄), n = 5 mice per group. Acute CCl₄ groups were compared using two-tailed unpaired students t test; not significant (n.s) p >0.05. Chronic CCl₄ multicomparison analysis was performed using two-way repeated measures ANOVA between all groups (p = 0.0002 ALT, p = 0.004 AST); followed by Tukeys post-tests between 8 week CCl₄ veh and drug groups (n.s) p >0.05.