Effects of concanavalin A treatment on CD8 mRNA expression in mouse liver

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.