Jpn. J. Pharmacol. 78 (1), 97-99 (1998)


Effects of Concanavalin A Treatment on CD8 mRNA Expression in Mouse Liver

Toshihiro Okamoto (1), Yoshihisa Nakano (1), Naoki Tsuzuike (2) and Kaoru Hara (1)



(1) Research Laboratories, Nippon Chemiphar Co., Ltd., 1-22 Hikokawato, Misato, Saitama 341-0005, Japan
(2) Zeria Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., 2512-1 Konan-machi, Ohsato-gun, Saitama 360-0111, Japan

Abstract: The administration of concanavalin A (Con A) (0.2 mg/mouse) into mice induced significant elevation of plasma alanine aminotransferase (ALT) at 8.5 hr after Con A treatment. CD8 mRNA, which is a marker of cytotoxic T-cell, was strongly induced at 16 and 24 hr after Con A treatment. Although pretreatment with cyclosporine A (CsA) (50 and 100 mg/kg, i.p.) inhibited Con A-induced elevation of plasma ALT, it did not inhibit Con A-induced CD8 mRNA expression. Morphological study revealed lymphoid cell infiltration in the liver, but the lymphoid cells were not present at the site of hepatocyte necrosis. These results suggest that Con A-induced CD8+ T-cell infiltration has a minimal effect in the development of hepatitis.


Keywords: Concanavalin A, CD8, Liver


Copyright© The Japanese Pharmacological Society 1998

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