Figure 1.

Carbon Tetrachloride Treatment Induces Cirrhosis in Wild-Type and TG221 Mice

(A) Liver cirrhosis was induced in TG221 (TG) and wild-type (WT) mice by short carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) inhalation cycles, as described in the Materials and Methods. (B) Both WT and TG221 mice were monitored for the presence of hepatic lesions using an ultrasound diagnostic device during the weeks following the induction protocol. The presence of liver fibrosis and cirrhosis was evident in mice from both groups. The image is from a CCl₄-treated TG221 mouse; ascites in the peritoneal cavity (red arrow) and irregular liver margins (white arrow) are shown. In addition, the presence of liver nodules was clearly evident (black arrows). (C) A significant accumulation in ascitic fluids in the peritoneal cavity, based on the total amount of ascites at the time of sacrifice, occurred in both WT and TG221 mice, with respect to that in the untreated control groups (p value < 0.001 for both groups). (D) Similarly, the quantification of fibrotic areas showed a comparable amount of liver fibrotic tissue between WT and TG221 mice, but a significant difference between these groups and control (CTRL) mice (p value < 0.001 for both groups). Data are represented as mean values ± SD. Representative images of Sirius Red staining, specific for collagen accumulation, in histological liver sections of untreated WT (E), untreated TG221 (F), CCl₄-treated WT (G), and CCl₄-treated TG221 (H) mice are shown. Scale bar, 500 μm. In the image, TG221 is indicated as TG.