La. Decicco et al., SERUM AND LIVER CONCENTRATIONS OF TUMOR-NECROSIS-FACTOR-ALPHA AND INTERLEUKIN-1-BETA FOLLOWING ADMINISTRATION OF CARBON-TETRACHLORIDE TO MALE RATS, Toxicology letters, 98(1-2), 1998, pp. 115-121
Inflammatory cytokines are recognized as early mediators of tissue dam
age and repair. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects
of car-bon tetrachloride administration on tumor necrosis factor-alph
a (TNF-alpha) and interleukin 1 beta (IL-1 beta) concentrations in ser
um and liver of rats. Administration of 0.2 ml/kg, i.p., of CCl4 to ma
le Fischer 344 rats caused modest increases in serum levels of both cy
tokines; elevations of TNF-alpha were statistically significant at 4 a
nd 12 h, and elevations of IL-1 beta were statistically significant at
24 h. Although CCl4 produced substantial increases in liver IL-1 beta
concentrations (more than 3-fold), levels of TNF-alpha were not affec
ted. Treatment with 0.1, 0.32 or 1.0 ml/kg of CCl4 produced dose-depen
dent increases in serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and sorbitol de
hydrogenase (SDH) activities, but serum cytokine concentrations were n
ot dose-dependent and did correspond with serum ALT and SDH activities
. The results suggest that IL-1 beta production in rat liver is stimul
ated by hepatotoxic doses of CCl4. Production of TNF-alpha may also be
induced, but the source of TNF-alpha in serum could be a tissue or or
gan other than liver. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All right
s reserved.