[Animal modeling] - Comparison of two alcohol induced liver injury models in mice

  Objective: To screen a simple, stable and reliable model of alcoholic liver injury.

  Methods: The mouse model of alcoholic liver injury was established by intragastric administration of alcohol or by giving Lierber DeCarli alcoholic liquid feed for 8 weeks. During the experiment, the changes of mental state, food intake and body weight of mice were recorded. Pathological analysis was carried out by HE staining, and serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) γ- Glutamyltransferase( γ- GT), alkaline phosphatase (AKP) activity, serum and liver total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG) content and other liver injury indicators.

  Results: After 8 weeks of modeling, both methods led to histopathological changes such as liver lipid accumulation in mice. Serum ALT, AST, AKP activity, serum and liver TG content were significantly increased, indicating that there was significant liver injury. Alcohol intragastric administration resulted in poor mental state of mice and significant weight loss, while alcohol liquid feed had little effect on mental state and weight of mice. The liver index and serum TC level of alcoholic liquid feed model were significantly increased, and the histopathological changes of serum ALT, AST activity, serum and liver TG content and liver lipid aggregation were greater than those of alcoholic liquid feed model, suggesting that the liver injury of the former was more serious than that of the latter.

  Conclusion: Lieber DeCarli alcohol liquid feed model is superior to alcohol gavage model. Lieber DeCarli alcoholic liquid feed model is more suitable for the study of molecular mechanism of alcoholic liver injury and screening of preventive and therapeutic drugs than alcohol gavage model.