[Expression of keratin 8 in carbon tetrachloride-induced liver injury of mice].

To investigate the expression of keratin 8 (K8) in carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4))-induced liver injury of mice. Forty ICR mice were divided into four groups. CCl(4) 300 microl/kg body weight in olive oil was injected intraperitoneally for 0, 2, 4, 6 weeks in group A, B, C and D, respectively. Mice were sacrificed 3 d after the last injection and then the vital organs were collected and weighed. RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry methods were used to analyze the expression of keratin 8 in the liver. The ratios of liver and body weight were increased significantly after administration of CCl(4), which were 5.60 %, 6.87%, 7.83 % and 7.76% at 0, 2, 4 and 6 weeks after injection, respectively. The expression of K8 was increased at the 2 w, 4 w and 6 w after CL(4) administration. The expression of K8 is positively correlated with the liver injury induced by CCl(4). The accumulation of K8 may be involved in the mechanism of liver injury.