Fibrosis grade at laparotomy weeks along the study protocol in CCl4-treated mice.

<p>(A) Example of histological changes in CCl4-treated mice along the 16 weeks of study. Hepatic sections stained with Masson Trichrome (original magnification ×10), showing light to strong blue staining, as a reflection of the collagen deposition at different stages of the liver disease: no histopathological changes (week 0); focal mild portal fibrosis with short fibrous septa (week 6); moderate collagen fibber deposition in portal areas with occasional portal bridging (week 10); marked fibrosis in the majority of portal spaces with frequent portal-portal and portal-central bridging and architectural distortion (regenerative nodules) (weeks 13 and 16). (B) Fibrosis grade according to Ishak Scale in treated animals (n = 6/week) at different study weeks are represented as mean ± standard deviation. (C) Relative gene expression levels of different profibrogenic genes at different study weeks. MMP-2: Matrix metalloproteinase 2; TGF-β. Tumour growth factor beta; ProCol-1: Procollagen alpha-1(1); TIMP-1: Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1. Mean values of CCl4-treated mice (n = 6/week) are represented.