Multiple quantitative trait locus modelling (MQM) of experimental liver fibrosis

Background: We previously identified genetic loci that determine susceptibility to liver fibrosis in experimental crosses and reference populations. For the first analyses, we studied the effects of single susceptibility (quantitative trait) loci only. Our aim now was to model interacting loci for liver fibrosis. Methods: We intercrossed F1-hybrids of the fibrosis-susceptible strain BALB/cJ and the resistant strain FVB/NJ to obtain 322 F2 progeny. The mice were challenged twice weekly with carbon tetrachloride (1 mg/kg i.p. for 6 wks). For phenotypic characterization, we determined histological fibrosis stages a…