Relationship between hepatocytic apoptosis and Fas expression in mouse fulminant hepatic failure

AIM: To study the relationship among tumor necrosis factor- α, Fas expression and hepatocyte apoptosis in an experi- mental model of fulminant hepatic failure (FHF). METHODS: A mouse model of FHF was established by LPS and D-GalN. The expression of Fas in liver tissue was detected by immunohistochemical method. Serum TNF-α level and TNF-α mRNA expression in liver were analyzed by ELISA and RT-PCR method respectively. Hepatocytic apoptosis was examined by DNA agarose gel electrophoresis and TUNEL method. TNF-α, Fas and hepatocytic apoptosis were observed in the different stage after drug administr- ation. In addition, changes of the above items were ob- served after pretreatment with anti-TNF-αIgG1.