Dissection of genetic determinants of fibrogenesis in liver and heart

Background: Recently we observed that long-term administration of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) to mice induces fibrosis in both liver and heart. To dissect common and organ-specific mechanisms of fibrogenesis, we employed BXD recombinant inbred lines as a genetic reference population (GRP). Our aim was to identify potential candidate genes with effects on hepatic and cardiac fibrogenesis. Methods: Thirty BXD lines were used for genome-wide quantitative trait loci (QTL)-analyses. Fibrosis was induced by CCl4 for six weeks (0.7 mg/kg, 12 i.p. injections). The hepatic and cardiac QTLs linked to collagen accumulation…