Establishment Of Liver Injury Model In Nude Mice Infected With Murine Cytomegalovirus

ObjectiveCytomegalovirus（CMV）belongs to herpesvirus.CMV infection is very common in the world.The purpose of this study is to establish a model of liver injury in BALB/c nude mice infected with murine cytomegalovirus（MCMV）,and to provide a research platform for liver injury caused by human cytomegalovirus（HCMV）infection in immunodeficient patients.MethodsTen male 4-week-old BALB/C nude mice were randomly divided into two groups with 5 mice in each group.The nude mice in the experimental group were intraperitoneally injected with 250μL virus suspension(TCID₅₀=10^-6.5/0.1 m L),and the mice in the control group were injected with equal volume of dulbecco’s modified eagle medium.The behavior and food intake of nude mice were observed and recorded daily.On the 7th day,the mice were put to death after being anesthetized.Their livers were aseptically separated.The degree of liver damage in BALB/c nude mice was observed by measuring alanine aminotransferase,fluorescent quantitative PCR to detect MCMV DNA copy number and hematoxylin-eosin staining.The independent t test was used to compare food intake and ALT between the two groups.ResultsThe nude mice in the experimental group became sluggish and the respiratory rate increased,while the nude mice in the control group showed no abnormalities.The amount of food consumed by nude mice in the experimental group was significantly less than that of the control group（t=-3.738,P=0.003）,and the amount of water they drank was also significantly less than that of the control group（t=-4.853,P=0.000）.The liver damage rate in the experimental group was 100%.All nude mice in experimental group showed varying degrees of ascites.The ALT value of liver in the experimental group was obviously higher than that in the control group（t=5.361,P=0.001）.Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR showed that MCMV DNA was positive in the experimental group,while it was negative in the control group.In the experimental group,HE staining showed a large number of inflammatory cell infiltration hepatocyte eosinophilia,and irregular inclusion bodies,while the control group was normal.ConclusionAfter 7 days of intraperitoneal injection of 250μL MCMV virus suspension,the liver injury model of BALB/c nude mice was successfully established.