Use of halothane as a model for investigating chemical-induced autoimmune hepatotoxicity

Adverse drug reactions are usually unpredictable. The mechanisms by which these reactions occur are poorly understood but often involve the immune system. The volatile anesthetic halothane has evolved as a model drug for investigating chemical-induced autoimmune hepatotoxicity. It has been shown that during the biotransformation of halothane, adducts are formed with liver proteins which can be recognized as neoantigens. These adducts have been associated with the production of a humoral and cellular immune response in a guinea pig model of halothane hepatotoxicity. This model has been used to examine the various aspects of an autoimmune response and the authors' attempts to correlate the immune response to the liver injury.