Abstract: Objective To establish a zebrafish model of liver fibrosis via diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced liver injury.
Methods A total of 120 wild-type 3-month-old zebrafish were randomly divided into DEN-treated group and control group.
The survival rate and behavioral changes of each group were observed. After treatment with DEN for 2, 4, and 6 weeks, liver
index was measured, and liver fibrosis was evaluated with HE staining, Gomori staining and Sirius red staining. Results No
obvious behavioral change was observed in DEN-treated group during the experiment. Compared with that in control group,
the liver index of zebrafish in DEN-treated group showed no significantly changes at the time points of observation.
Proliferation of reticulate fibers was found in 30% of zebrafish treated with DEN for 4 weeks, and the rate increased to 80% at 6
weeks when reticulate fibers and collagen fibers actively proliferated to result in fiber collapse and formation of fibrotic
nodules. Conclusion A stable zebrafish liver fibrosis model was successfully established by inducing liver damage to facilitate
studies of the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis and screening therapeutic drugs.