Late preventive effects of phenylmethylsulfonyl-fluoride on carbon tetrachloride-induced liver necrosis.

The administration to rats of phenylmethylsulfonylfluoride (PMSF) 6 or 10 h after tetrachloride (CCl4) significantly prevented liver necrosis induced by this hepatotoxin at 24 h but not at 72 h. Preventive effects of PMSF were not due to interference with CCl4 absorption from the peritoneum since CCl4 levels in livers of treated and untreated animals were not significantly different. The present and previous results from our laboratory suggest that degradative processes mediated by proteases and esterases might play a role in late reversible stages of CCl4-induced liver cell injury.