Liver injury induced by phosgene in mice

    LI Wenª²Li, HAI Chunª²Xu, LIU Rui, ZHANG Xiaoª²Di, QIN Xuª²Jun

    Department of Toxicology, School of Preventive Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi¬ðan 710033, China

    ¡¾Abstract¡¿ AIM: To study the liver injury and Kupffer cell (KC) changes induced by phosgene in mice. METHODS: Forty mice were randomly divided into 4 groups with 10 mice in each. The mice in control group were exposed to room air and the mice in positive groups were exposed to 11.9 mg/L phosgene for 5 minutes, respectively. At the end of 2 hours, 4 hours and 8 hours after exposure to phosgene, all the mice were killed. The content of malondialdehyde (MDA) and reductive glutathion (GSH), and the activities of the total superoxide dismutase (Tª²SOD) in liver were detected. The histology and ultrastructure of the liver were observed 4 hours after the mice were poisoned with phosgene. RESULTS: Compared with those of control group, the MDA content significantly increased, the GSH content significantly decreased with the time prolonged, and the Tª²SOD activity significantly increased at 2 hours after phosgene exposure (P<0.05). Hepatocyte was found with vacuolar degeneration under optical microscope, and increased lipid droplets in hepatocytes, live bleeding, and apoptosis of Kupffer cells were observed in poisoned mice under electron microscope. CONCLUSION: Phosgene may induce hepatocytic oxidative injury, fat denaturalization and apoptosis of Kupffer cells in mice. ......