Fig. 5

Histological analysis of hepatocelluar architecture and biochemical evaluation of hepatocyte toxicity following gene transfer

C57BL/6 mice were injected with (A, C, E, F) pHyRGN as described in Figure 4 or (B) with vehicle alone (100 µl 10% sucrose in PBS), killed after (A, B) 1, (C) 7, or (E) 28 days, and liver sections (20 µm) were stained with H&E. (D) Liver section from unoperated animal. (F) Mice injected with pHyRGN were super-injected 4 weeks later with 1 × 10⁷ t.u. (100 µl) of pHSVlac and killed after 1 day. Scale bar, 100 µm. (G) Blood samples collected from unoperated control mice (open bars) and from animals that were injected with either pHyRGN (closed bars) or vehicle (shaded bars) were assayed for serum transaminase (ALT) levels (IU/L). Bars indicate the mean ± SD (vehicle, 7 days, n = 2; all others, n = 3).