Immuno- and Hepato-Toxicity of Dichloroacetic Acid in MRL^+/+ and B₆C₃F₁ Mice

Figures & data

TABLE 1 Body weight and liver/body weight ratios of MRL^+/+ and B₆C₃F₁ mice treated with DCA

	Body weight	Liver weight	100 × Liver/Body Weight
MRL^+/+ mice
Control	37.4 ± 1.12	1.79 ± 0.07	4.82 ± 0.19
DCA	37.4 ± 1.23	2.06 ± 0.06	5.54 ± 0.13
B6C3F1 mice
Control	23.6 ± 0.67	1.16 ± 0.03	4.92 ± 0.11
DCA	22.7 ± 0.44	1.30 ± 0.04	5.71 ± 0.12

Mean ± SE, n = 6

*p < 0.05.

FIG. 1 Serum levels of IgG and its subtypes in MRL^+/+ (A) and B₆C₃F₁ mice (B), and total IgM (C) in mice exposed to vehicle or DCA for 12 wk. The values represent the mean ± SEM (n = 6); *p < 0.05 when compared to the respective control.

FIG. 2 Serum levels of G-CSF and IL-12 in MRL^+/+ and B₆C₃F₁ mice exposed to vehicle or DCA for 12 wk. The values represent mean ± SEM (n = 6); *p < 0.05 when compared between strains.

FIG. 3 Levels of IL-10 and KC chemokine in liver extracts of MRL^+/+ (A) and of multiple cytokines in liver extracts of B₆C₃F₁ mice (B–D) exposed to vehicle or DCA for 12 wk. The values represent the mean ± SEM (n = 6); *p < 0.05 when compared to the respective control.

FIG. 4 Cytokines secreted by splenic T-lymphocytes from MRL^+/+ and B₆C₃F₁ mice exposed to vehicle or DCA for 12 wk and activated in culture with antibodies against CD3 and CD8 for 48 hr. The values represent the mean (n = 6); *p < 0.05 for comparisons between mouse strain; #p < 0.05 for comparisons between control and DCA treatment within a strain.

FIG. 5 Liver histopathology of MRL^+/+ (A and B) and B₆C₃F₁ mice (C and D) exposed to vehicle (A and C) or DCA (B and D) for 12 wk. Liver sections were stained with H & E. Arrows indicate lipid accumulation within hepatocytes, compressing and displacing the nucleus to the periphery (magnification 200×).

FIG. 6 Liver histopathology of MRL^+/+ (A and B) and B₆C₃F₁ mice (C and D) exposed to vehicle (A and C) or DCA (B and D) for 12 wk. Liver sections were stained with Oil Red O (magnification 400×). Arrows indicate large intracellular lipid droplets.

FIG. 7 Quantification of Oil Red O staining of liver tissue from MRL^+/+ and B₆C₃F₁ mice exposed to vehicle or DCA for 12 wk. The values represent the mean ± SEM (n = 5); *p < 0.05 when compared to the respective control.