[Sulfur dioxide-induced liver pathology].

OBJECTIVE

To investigate effects of short-term sulfur dioxide inhalation to the liver.

METHODS

Haematoxylin and eosin staining (HE) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to study the pathologic changes in mice liver after sulfur dioxide (SO(2)) inhalation.

RESULTS

Exposure to 56 mg/m(3), 112 mg/m(3) 168 mg/m(3) SO(2) caused increasingly severe liver injuries, as detected by HE staining and TEM. The morphologic changes included spotty necrosis with lymphocyte, monocyte, and neutrophil infiltration, fatty degeneration of hepatocytes with dilatation of rough endoplasmic reticulum and dissociation of ribosomes, as well as degeneration of mitochondria and karyorrhexis.

CONCLUSION

SO(2) inhalation can cause marked liver injury in experimental settings.