Biophoton Emission as a Biomarker of Mouse Fatty Liver induced by Carbon Tetrachloride

Recently the measurement of biophoton emission has attracted increasing attention in the study on physiological state of biological systems. We report the measurements of biophoton emission from the mouse fatty liver induced by carbon tetrachloride, CCl$_4$. The hepatotoxin, CCl$_4$ in olive oil, was injected intraperitoneally into two groups of ICR mice which were made of 6 mice in each group. The control groups corresponding to the treated groups were prepared with the injections of olive oil only. After the injections, livers of two groups were extracted and measured biophoton emission in 24 hours and 72 hours later, respectively. We also extracted the plasma in the blood and measured the transaminase activity. Results show that biophoton emission from the livers in 24-hour treated group is 69.3${\pm}$21.2 counts/min/$\textrm{cm}^2$, which is two times more larger than that in 24-hour control group, 29.5${\pm}$5.9 counts/min/$\textrm{cm}^2$ Biophoton emission from the livers in 72-hour treated group is 37.0${\pm}$14.8 counts/min/$\textrm{cm}^2$. These biophoton results correlate with those of the biochemical assays. We conclude that biophoton emission can be used as a biomarker of mouse fatty liver induced by CCl$_4$.

사염화탄소를 이용한 마우스 지방간에서의 새로운 생체발광 측정법

생체발광 (biophoton emission)의 측정기기를 이용하여 생체의 생리상태를 조사하는 연구가 활발해지고 있다. 본 논문에서는 사염화탄소에 의해 유발된 마우스의 지방간 조직에서 나오는 생체광자를 측정하였다. 올리브유와 올리브를 용매로 하는 사염화탄소를 혼합한 각각의 6마리로 구성된 두 개 군의 마우스에 복강투여 후 24시간, 72시간 후에 각각 간을 적출하여 생체광자를 측정하고, 또한 혈장을 분리하여 생화학적 지표로 사용되는 트랜스아미네이즈 효소 활성도를 측정하였다. 실험결과는 정상적인 대조군의 경우, 생체발광이 29.5$\pm$5.9 counts/min/$\textrm{cm}^2$로. 측정된 반면, 24시간 처리군에 대해서는 69.3$\pm$21.2 counts/min/$\textrm{cm}^2$로 정상관보다 2배 이상 높은 생체발광을 보였다. 또한, 72시간 처리군에 대해서는 37.0$\pm$14.8 counts/min/$\textrm{cm}^2$로 측정되어 생화학적 지표로 사용되는 효소 활성도 결과와 밀접한 상관관계가 있음을 알 수 있었다.