In the liver, CCl4 induces cell necrosis followed by regeneration. Cell injury is caused by free radical damage and may be due, at least in part, to oxidative stress and the subsequent formation of reactive oxygen intermediates (ROIs). In a rat model of acute CCl4-induced hepatic injury, we examined the expression of genes involved in cellular response to different kinds of stress, including oxidative stress (hsp 70 family, heme oxygenase), in free radical detoxification (Mn superoxide dismutase and Cu/ Zn superoxide dismutase), in iron homeostasis (H and L ferritin subunits) and in the cell cycle (c-fos, c-jun, histone H3). As an experimental approach, we first analysed the pattern of protein synthesised by liver slices in vitro. Then we studied the mechanisms regulating the expression of different genes, by analysing both mRNA steady state levels and transcription rates. Activation of the specific heat shock transcription factor (HSF) by CCl4 was also investigated. We observed that different members of the hsp70 family (hsp70, hsc73, grp78) are activated by different kinetics and are regulated mainly at the transcriptional level. Induction of the hsp70 gene occurs rapidly and transiently and is preceded by the activation of HSF DNA-binding activity. We demonstrated an increase in the steady-state levels of mRNAs for heme oxygenase, Mn and Cu/Zn superoxide dismutases and H and L ferritin subunits. However, different kinetics and regulatory mechanisms occurred with different genes. We showed that induction of c-fos and c-jun protooncogenes is the earliest event after CCl4 administration, whereas histone H3 expression peaked at 24-48 h. The results of this study are interpreted as evidence that activation of specific stress response genes is primarily related to the defence against the rapidly occurring cell damage, but may also be related to subsequent processes of tissue inflammation and cell proliferation.