The effect of pentoxifylline on anti-Fas antibody-induced hepatitis was studied. The administration of anti-Fas antibodies (250 microg/kg, i.v.) to mice elevated plasma alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity at 3 h. This anti-Fas antibody-induced elevation of ALT was inhibited by treatment with pentoxifylline at the doses of 10 and 100 mg/kg (i.p.). Anti-Fas antibody administration also elevated the CPP32-like protease activity in the liver at 3 h. Although pentoxifylline at 100 mg/kg, i.p., inhibited the anti-Fas antibody-induced elevation of plasma ALT, this treatment did not significantly inhibit the anti-Fas antibody-induced elevation of CPP32-like activity. The present results clearly showed that treatment with pentoxifylline inhibited anti-Fas antibody-induced hepatitis, at least in part, by affecting a reaction downstream of CPP32-like protease activation.

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