1995 Volume 12 Pages 143-147
The LEC (Long-Evans Cinnamon) rats develop spontaneous hepatic injury with unusual copper accumulation. The LEC rat is considered to be an useful animal model for human liver disease, such as Wilson disease. We obtained evidence which shows an unusual accumulation of copper in the liver of LEC rats, followed by the induction of copper-metallothionein (Cu-MT). We suggested the mechanism for the development of hepatitis in LEC rats, in relation to the accumulated copper and induced Cu-MT.
We investigated the food-and age-dependent changes of bio-trace elements such as Cu, Zn, Fe and Mn as well as those of metallothionein in the liver of LEC rats. Further, we studied the generation of active oxygen species like hydroxyl radicals in the reaction of Cu-MT and H2O2, to know the mechanism for the development of hepatitis and hepatoma. Development of hepatitis and hepatoma was indicated to relate the accumulation of copper and induction of Cu-MT, which in turn generates the hydroxyl radicals when H2O2 is present in the cell.
