Role of activin A in carbon tetrachloride-induced acute liver injury

Figure 1 Examination of serum alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase levels and pathological changes of liver in carbon tetrachloride-treated mice. A: Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in olive oil control mouse and carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄)-treated mouse. ^bP < 0.01 vs control; B: Pathological change of liver was analyzed by hematoxylin and eosin staining. Arrows represent lesion area (magnification, × 100).

Figure 2 Detection of levels of activin A in serum and hepatic homogenates of mouse treated with carbon tetrachloride by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. CCl₄: Carbon tetrachloride. ^bP < 0.01 vs control.

Figure 3 Expression of activin A protein in liver of mouse assessed by immunohistochemical staining. A, B: Activin A expression was examined by using anti-activin A antibody in the same liver tissues on day 1 after olive oil treatment; C, D: Activin A expression was examined by using anti-activin A antibody in the same liver tissues on day 1 after carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) treatment; E, F: Activin A expression was examined by using anti-activin A antibody in the same liver tissues on day 3 after CCl₄ treatment; G, H: The procedural background control staining was represented by using normal mouse immunoglobulin G instead of anti-activin A antibody in livers of olive oil-treated and CCl₄-treated mice. Red arrows represent lesion area and black arrows represent positive staining for activin A. A, C, E: Magnification × 100; B, D, F, G, H: Magnification × 200.

Figure 4 Assay of mRNA expressions of activin βA and activin signal molecules in liver of mouse by real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. The mRNA levels in olive oil control group (Cont) were adjusted to 100%. All values (mean ± SD) were expressed as % of that in control. ^aP < 0.05, ^bP < 0.01 vs control.

Figure 5 Effects of anti-activin A antibody in vivo on serum alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase levels and pathological change of liver in carbon tetrachloride-treated mouse. A: Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels were detected in mouse 3 d after carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) treatment. Immunoglobulin G (IgG) + Cont, IgG control group; Anti-A + Cont, anti-activin A control group; IgG + CCl₄, IgG plus CCl₄ group; Anti-A + CCl₄, anti-activin A plus CCl4 group. ^bP < 0.01 vs IgG + CCl₄ group; B: Pathological change of liver in mouse 3 d after CCl₄ treatment was analyzed by hematoxylin and eosin staining. Arrows represent lesion area (magnification × 40).