CCL3/MIP-1alpha is pro-inflammatory in murine T cell-mediated hepatitis by recruiting CCR1-expressing CD4(+) T cells to the liver

T cell-mediated hepatitis is associated with significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Levels of C-C chemokine ligand 3/macrophage inflammatory protein-1alpha (CCL3/MIP-1alpha) are elevated in the serum of patients with T cell-mediated liver diseases, but its role is not fully understood. Con A-induced hepatitis is a murine liver-specific inflammation mediated by activated T cells and is driven by an up-regulation of the hepatic expression of IFN-gamma. In this study, we have used CCL3/MIP-1alpha gene-deficient mice to examine the role of CCL3/MIP-1alpha in the pathogenesis of Con A-induced hepatitis. We demonstrate a novel pro-inflammatory role for CCL3/MIP-1alpha since CCL3/MIP-1alpha deficiency significantly attenuated hepatic injury, both biochemically and histologically. Moreover, the recruitment of CCR1-expressing CD4(+) T cells to the liver after Con A treatment was strikingly attenuated by CCL3/MIP-1alpha deficiency. Correspondingly, hepatic IFN-gamma produced by the recruited CD4(+) T cells was significantly reduced by CCL3/MIP-1alpha deficiency during Con A-induced hepatitis. Furthermore, treatment of mice with a dual CCR1/CCR5 peptide antagonist, methionylated RANTES, also markedly reduced hepatic injury and decreased the numbers of CD4(+) T cells within the liver producing IFN-gamma during Con A-induced hepatitis. These findings demonstrate that blockade of the CCL3/MIP-1alpha-CCR1 pathway may represent a novel therapeutic target for treating T cell-mediated liver diseases.     

Blockade of IL-33 ameliorates Con A-induced hepatic injury by reducing NKT cell activation and IFN-γ production in mice

IL-33, a recently described member of the IL-1 family, has been identified as a cytokine endowed with pro-Th2 type functions. To date, there are only limited data on its role in physiological and pathological hepatic immune responses. In this study, we examined the role of IL-33 in immune-mediated liver injury by exploring the model of concanavalin A (Con A)-induced hepatitis. We observed that the level of IL-33 expression in the liver was dramatically increased at 12?h after Con A injection. Meanwhile, ST2L, the receptor of IL-33, was significantly up-regulated in lymphocytes including T and natural killer T (NKT) cells, especially in NKT cells. Moreover, administration of recombinant IL-33 exacerbated Con A-induced hepatitis, while pretreatment of IL-33-blocking antibody or psST2-Fc plasmids showed a protective effect probably by inhibiting the activation of late stage of T cells and NKT cells and also decreasing the production of the cytokine IFN-??. Furthermore, depletion of NKT cells abolished the protective effect of IL-33-blocking antibody, and IL-33 failed to exacerbate Con A-induced hepatitis in IFN-??^?/? mice. These data suggested the critical roles of NKT cells and IFN-?? in the involvement of IL-33 in Con A-induced hepatitis. Blockade of IL-33 may represent a novel therapeutic strategy through IL-33/ST2L signal to prevent immune-mediated liver injury.     

CCR5 deficiency drives enhanced natural killer cell trafficking to and activation within the liver in murine T cell-mediated hepatitis

Natural killer (NK) cells are innate immune cells that are enriched in the liver, but the processes underlying NK cell trafficking to the liver and cellular activation within the liver of patients with T cell-mediated liver diseases remain poorly defined. Concanavalin A (Con A) hepatitis is a murine model mimicking many aspects of human T cell-mediated liver diseases. Here we demonstrate that severe hepatitis in CCR5-deficient (KO) mice is associated with increased hepatic NK cell recruitment driven by enhanced hepatic production of CCL5 acting via CCR1 and by enhanced hepatic NK cell activation relative to that observed in wild-type mice after Con A administration. Furthermore, NK cell depletion ameliorated severe hepatitis in CCR5 KO mice but did not alter hepatitis in wild-type mice after Con A treatment. We propose that in the setting of CCR5 deficiency NK cells assume a profound effector role in Con A hepatitis via enhanced CCL5-CCR1 driven hepatic recruitment in addition to augmented cytokine-driven NK cell activation to produce interferon-gamma. These results highlight the potential profound impact of altered chemokine receptor expression on the innate immune response in the setting of T cell-mediated hepatitis.     

Osteopontin as a mediator of NKT cell function in T cell-mediated liver diseases

Both osteopontin (OPN) and natural killer T (NKT) cells play a role in the development of immunological disorders. We examined a functional link between OPN and NKT cells. Concanavalin A (Con A)-induced hepatitis is a well-characterized murine model of T cell-mediated liver diseases. Here, we show that NKT cells secrete OPN, which augments NKT cell activation and triggers neutrophil infiltration and activation. Thus, OPN- and NKT cell-deficient mice were refractory to Con A-induced hepatitis. In addition, a neutralizing antibody specific for a cryptic epitope of OPN, exposed by thrombin cleavage, ameliorated hepatitis. These findings identify NKT cell-derived OPN as a novel target for the treatment of inflammatory liver diseases.     

Bimodal role of endogenous interleukin-6 in concanavalin A-induced hepatitis in mice

Acute concanavalin A (Con A)-induced hepatitis in mice is an animal model for hepatic injury induced by activated T cells. The evolution of hepatic involvement can be followed from hour to hour by measuring serum transaminase levels. We investigated the possible role of endogenous interleukin-6 (IL-6) in this model. We found serum IL-6 levels and splenic IL-6 mRNA during Con A-induced hepatitis to be significantly lower in interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma)-deficient mice, which are resistant against the Con A-induced syndrome, than in wild-type ones, suggesting that systemic IL-6 production favors development of hepatic injury. However, IL-6-deficient mice proved to be more susceptible to the disease than wild-type mice, indicating that endogenous IL-6 plays a predominantly hepatoprotective role. Experiments in which wild-type mice were treated with anti-IL-6 antibodies, before or after Con A challenge, allowed us to reconcile these contrasting observations. The antibody injections resulted in a biphasic alteration of serum IL-6 levels, initial neutralization being followed by rebound increased levels due to accumulation of IL-6 in the form of antigen-antibody complexes. The effect of antibody on disease severity differed depending on the time of injection. Antibody injection at 2.5 h post Con A resulted in delayed disease manifestation, whereas treatment initiated before Con A resulted in accelerated disease. We conclude that endogenous IL-6 plays a bimodal role. IL-6 present before Con A challenge as well as that induced in the very early phase after Con A injection triggers hepatoprotective pathways. Continuation of IL-6 production beyond this early phase, by some other pathway, seems to be harmful to hepatocytes.     

Involvement of Fas/Fas ligand system-mediated apoptosis in the development of concanavalin A-induced hepatitis

Concanavalin A (Con A)-induced hepatitis is an experimental hepatitis model in which hepatic injury is caused by the action of cytokines produced by T cells. Using IFN-γ-deficient mice, we previously demonstrated that IFN-γ plays a central role in Con A-induced hepatitis. Here, we show that development of the disease is completely suppressed in gld/gld mice, in which Fas ligand is defective. In contrast, suppression of the disease in lpr/lpr mice was incomplete, since a small amount of the fas mRNA was produced in these mice. The data indicate that activation of the Fas/Fas ligand system is a necessary step in the development of Con A-induced hepatitis. Furthermore, we found that not only fas but also caspase-1 expression was reduced in IFN-γ-deficient mice. Since caspase-1 is an integral component of Fas signal transduction, these observations suggest that IFN-γ-induced activation of both fas and caspase-1 expression causes enhancement of hepatocyte apoptosis resulting in the development of hepatitis.     

Leptin deficiency, not obesity, protects mice from Con A-induced hepatitis

Leptin-deficient ob/ob mice are protected from Con A-induced hepatitis. However, it is unclear whether leptin deficiency or obesity itself is responsible for this protection. To address this question, wild-type (WT) obese mice with high serum leptin levels were generated by injection of gold thioglucose (WT GTG). Both Con A-injected WT and WT GTG mice developed hepatitis, whereas no hepatic damage was observed in ob/ob mice. Moreover, TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma levels as well as expression of the activation marker CD69 were elevated in liver mononuclear cells of WT and WT GTG mice, but not in ob/ob mice following administration of Con A. The liver of WT and WT GTG mice had the same percentage of NK T cells, a lymphocyte population involved in Con A-induced hepatitis. This population decreased equally in both WT and WT GTG mice after Con A injection. In contrast, the liver of ob/ob mice contained 50% less NK T cells compared to WT and WT GTG mice. Furthermore, no decrease in NK T cells was observed in Con A-injected ob/ob mice. We conclude that leptin-deficiency, not obesity, is responsible for protection from Con A-induced hepatitis.     

L-selectin and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 regulate the development of Concanavalin A-induced liver injury

Concanavalin A (Con A)-induced hepatitis is a model for human T cell-mediated hepatitis. We evaluated the role of L-selectin and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) in this model by injecting Con A intravenously in mice lacking L-selectin (L-selectin-/-), ICAM-1 (ICAM-1-/-), or both (L-selectin/ICAM-1-/-). Blood and liver samples were collected 0, 8, 24, and 48 h after Con A treatment. Increases in plasma transaminase levels, which peaked 8 h after injection, were reduced significantly in L-selectin-/-, ICAM-1-/-, and L-selectin/ICAM-1-/- mice compared with wild-type mice. Liver necrosis was more strongly inhibited in ICAM-1-/- mice than in L-selectin-/- mice but was most prominently reduced in L-selectin/ICAM-1-/- mice, in parallel with decreased plasma transaminase levels. The reduced severity of hepatitis in the mutant mice correlated with decreases in numbers of liver CD4+ T cells but not numbers of CD8+ T cells or neutrophils. Following Con A treatment, L-selectin deficiency reduced liver mRNA expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and ICAM-1 deficiency reduced expression of interleukin-4. By contrast, reductions in liver macrophage inhibitor protein-1alpha mRNA occurred in all mutant mice. These results indicate that L-selectin and ICAM-1 contribute cooperatively to the development of Con A-induced hepatitis by regulating leukocyte infiltration and subsequent cytokine production.     

In vivo evidence for a functional role of both tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptors and transmembrane TNF in experimental hepatitis

The significance of tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (TNFR1) for TNF function in vivo is well documented, whereas the role of TNFR2 so far remains obscure. In a model of concanavalin A (Con A)-induced, CD4⁺ T cell-dependent experimental hepatitis in mice, in which TNF is a central mediator of apoptotic and necrotic liver damage, we now provide evidence for an essential in vivo function of TNFR2 in this pathophysiological process. We demonstrate that a cooperation of TNFR1 and TNFR2 is required for hepatotoxicity as mice deficient of either receptor were resistant against Con A. A significant role of TNFR2 for Con A-induced hepatitis is also shown by the enhanced sensitivity of transgenic mice overexpressing the human TNFR2. The ligand for cytotoxic signaling via both TNF receptors is the precursor of soluble TNF, i.e. transmembrane TNF. Indeed, transmembrane TNF is sufficient to mediate hepatic damage, as transgenic mice deficient in wild-type soluble TNF but expressing a mutated nonsecretable form of TNF developed inflammatory liver disease.     

Concanavalin A-induced hepatitis in mice is prevented by interleukin (IL)-10 and exacerbated by endogenous IL-10 deficiency

One single intra-venous (i.v.) injection of Concanavalin A (Con A) into mice provokes a cell-mediated immunoinflammatory hepatitis. We have presently evaluated the immunopharmacological effects of exogenous interleukin (IL)-10 and the role of endogenous IL-10 in this model by using exogenous IL-10, anti-IL-10 monoclonal antibody (mAb) and mice with disrupted IL-10 gene (IL-10 KO mice). Whilst exogenous IL-10 administered in a prophylactic (1 h prior to Con A) and even "early" therapeutic fashion (30 min after Con A) reduced the elevation of transaminase activities in plasma in a dose-dependent manner, observed in control mice, these biochemical markers of liver injury were significantly increased both in IL-10 KO mice as well as in those receiving anti-IL-10 mAb. Interestingly, doses of Con A lower than 20 mg/kg that were only capable of inducing slight serological signs of hepatitis in mice, exerted marked hepatitic effects when administered to either anti-IL-10 mAb-treated mice or to IL-10 KO mice. The disease modulating effects of exogenous IL-10 and either genetical or pharmacologically-induced IL-10 deficiency were associated with profound and opposite modifications of the Con A-induced increase in the circulating levels of IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha. Relative to control animals, the blood levels of these cytokines were diminished in IL-10-treated mice and augmented in both IL-10 KO mice and anti-IL-10 mAb-treated mice. These results prove the physiological antiinflammatory role of endogenous IL-10 in Con A induced hepatitis and the beneficial effects of IL-10 treatment to prevent this condition.     

Hydrodynamic gene delivery of interleukin-22 protects the mouse liver from concanavalin A-, carbon tetrachloride-, and Fas ligand-induced injury via activation of STAT3

Interleukin-22 (IL-22) is a recently identified T cell-derived cytokine whose biological significance remainsobscure.Previously,we have shown that IL-22 plays a protective role in T cell-mediated hepatitis induced byConcanavalin A (Con A),acting as a survival factor for hepatocytes.In the present paper,we demonstrate thathydrodynamic gene delivery of IL-22 cDNA driven either by a liver-specific albumin promoter or a humancytomegalovirus (CMV) promoter results in IL-22 protein expression,STAT3 activation,and expression ofseveral anti-apoptotic proteins,including Bcl-xL,Bcl-2,and Mcl-1 in the liver.Immunohistochemical analysisreveals that IL-22 protein expression is mainly detected in the cytoplasm of hepatocytes.Overexpression ofIL-22 by hydrodynamic gene delivery significantly protects against liver injury,necrosis,and apoptosis inducedby administration of Con A,carbon tetrachloride (CCl_4),or the Fas agonist Jo-2 mAb.Western blot analysesshow that overexpression of IL-22 significantly enhances activation of STAT3 and expression of Bcl-xL,Bcl-2,and Mcl-1 proteins in liver injury induced by Con A.In conclusion,hydrodynamic gene delivery of IL-22protects against liver injury induced by a variety of toxins,suggesting the therapeutic potential of IL-22 intreating human liver disease.Cellular & Molecular Immunology.2004;1(1):43-49.     

Disordered immunoregulatory functions in patients with chronic active hepatitis.

Peripheral T lymphocytes from patients with chronic active hepatitis (CAH) showed a significantly decreased suppressor cell (or increased helper cell) effect on differentiation of allogenic B cells to Ig-producing cells (Ig-PC). Spontaneous helper cell activity as measured after irradiation of T cells appeared normal, while Concanavalin A (Con A)-induced suppressor cell activity was significantly reduced. Some patients of chronic persistent hepatitis (CPH) also showed mild depression of Con A-induced suppressor cell activity. Poor suppressor cell activity in CAH was much more often seen in HBsAg negative, autoantibody positive patients than in HBsAg positive autoantibody negative ones. Autologous mixed lymphocyte reaction (AMLR) was significantly decreased in patients with CAH. Also, a serum factor(s) that decreased Con A-induced suppressor cell function of healthy subjects could be demonstrated in some patients with CAH and CPH. Our results suggest that altered immune responses observed in CAH may be due to defective suppressor cell function, partly attributable to serum factor(s).     

T淋巴细胞内三磷酸肌醇传递ConA诱导的增殖信号

本文研究了不同浓度ConA诱导的人外周血T淋巴细胞内1-磷酸肌醇(IP_1),2-磷酸肌醇(IP_2),3-磷酸肌醇(IP_3)的变化。结果显示,不同剂量ConA刺激早期,细胞内IP_3、IP_2及IP_1水平均有所增高,尤以IP_3水平增高最为显著,与对照组比较增加率为107％,但各剂量组间无差异。PHA慢性处理后IL—2R表达阳性的T细胞,ConA不引起IP_3及相关产物的变化,但用抗IL-2R的单克隆抗体(抗Tac McAb)封闭T细胞的IL—2R后,ConA刺激可使细胞内IP_3水平明显增加。这提示:IP_3可能作为第二信使介导了ConA诱导的细胞增殖分化,但IL-2R表达可抑制丝裂原信息经IP_3途径传递,这种抑制作用可为抗Tac McAb所消除。     

经肝动脉同种异体脂肪干细胞移植治疗小鼠自身免疫性肝炎的实验研究

目的: 探讨同种异体脂肪干细胞经肝动脉移植对刀豆素A(Con A)诱导的小鼠自身免疫性肝炎的治疗价值。方法: Con A注射法建立小鼠自身免疫性肝炎模型。将40只小鼠随机分为4组:阴性对照组、经肝动脉移植组、经尾静脉移植组(移植脂肪干细胞2×10⁶)和阳性对照组。阳性对照组应用环磷酰胺腹腔注射。观察移植前后肝脏组织病理病变情况、血清炎症指标和肝功能指标的改变。结果: 经肝动脉移植组和经尾静脉移植组行脂肪干细胞移植后全部存活,未发生明显并发症;经肝动脉移植组血清炎症指标(IFN-γ、IL-4和IL-5)及血清天冬氨酸氨基转移酶、丙氨酸氨基转移酶及碱性磷酸酶明显下降(P<0.05);经尾静脉移植组血清炎症指标及血清肝功能指标有所下降,但无显著差异。经肝动脉移植组及阳性对照组病理学上改善最明显,肝内炎症细胞浸润及肝细胞坏死均明显减少。结论: 同种异体脂肪干细胞移植有助于改善Con A介导的小鼠自身免疫性肝炎,经肝动脉途径可提高脂肪干细胞肝移植的效能。     

Glycyrrhizin protects mice from concanavalin A-induced hepatitis without affecting cytokine expression.

The administration of concanavalin A (Con A) to mice induces cytokine-dependent hepatitis. In the present study, the effect of glycyrrhizin on Con A-induced hepatitis was examined. Treatment of mice with Con A (0.2 mg/mouse, i.v.) induced elevation of the plasma transaminase activities at 24 h. Mice were treated with glycyrrhizin (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg, i.p.), and glycyrrhizin at the doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg inhibited the Con A-induced elevation of the plasma transaminase activities. At 1 h after Con A treatment, interferon-gamma, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-2 and interleukin-6 proteins were released into the plasma. Although treatment with glycyrrhizin at 200 mg/kg inhibited Con A-induced hepatitis, it did not affect the release of any of these Con A-induced cytokines into the plasma. The present results clearly show that glycyrrhizin inhibited Con A-induced hepatitis without affecting cytokine expression.     

Dexamethasone suppresses concanavalin A-induced production of chemotactic lymphokines by releasing a soluble factor from splenic T lymphocytes.

Treatment of guinea-pig spleen cells with glucocorticoids, such as dexamethasone (DEX), reduces concanavalin A (Con A)-induced production of chemotactic lymphokines (CLK), such as eosinophil chemotactic factor and macrophage chemotactic factor. The decreased CLK production is not caused by a direct effect of DEX on the spleen cells producing CLK, because Con A-induced CLK production is suppressed when the cells are cultured together with cell-free culture supernatants of the spleen cells which had been pretreated with DEX. A soluble suppressive factor, termed CLK-SF, with a MW of about 20,000, seems to be responsible for the suppression of both CLK production. CLK-SF is produced from DEX-treated T lymphocytes. CLK-SF probably exerts a critical role in the early stage of CLK production. In contrast, CLK-SF fails to inhibit Con A-induced lymphocyte proliferation, although DEX itself suppresses lymphocyte proliferation. This suggests that DEX suppresses Con A-induced CLK production by a different mechanism from that for lymphocyte proliferation.     

High-mobility group box 1 exacerbates CCl4-induced acute liver injury in mice

High-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) is a nuclear factor that can also serve as an imflammatory mediator once released into extracellular milieu. Therefore, HMGB1 has been recognized to play a pivotal role in inflammatory diseases such as sepsis, acute lung injury, ischemia reperfusion injury and type 1 diabetes. Nevertheless, its impact on carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄)-induced hepatic injury is yet to be elucidated. In the present report, we demonstrated evidence indicating that high levels of HMGB1 were not only present in the necrotic area of liver but also in the serum after CCl₄ challenge. In line with these observations, administration of exogenous recombinant HMGB1 exacerbated CCl₄-induced hepatic injury, while HMGB1 blocking antibody provided protection for mice against CCl₄-induced acute liver injury as evidenced by the decrease of serum transaminase and reduction of hepatic tissues necrosis. Mechanistic studies revealed that blockade of HMGB1 attenuated CCl₄-induced MDA accumulation along with improved SOD and GSH activity. Treatment of mice with HMGB1 neutralizing antibody also significantly inhibited the production of proinflammatory mediators TNF-α and IL-6 along with attenuated HMGB1 expression and its extracellular release. Together, our data suggest an essential role for HMGB1 in CCl₄-induced acute liver injury, while HMGB1 neutralizing antibody could be served as an effective regimen for preventing CCl₄-induced acute liver injury.     

NC-1500 prevents concanavalin A-induced mice hepatitis without affecting cytokine gene expression.

NC-1500 is a dihydropyridine type calcium channel blocker. The effect of NC-1500 on mice concanavalin A-induced hepatitis was examined. Treatment of mice with concanavalin A (Con A) caused elevation of plasma transaminase. Pretreatment of mice with NC-1500 (3, 10 and 30 mg/kg, p.o.) prevented this Con A-induced elevation of plasma transaminase. Treatment of mice with Con A induced tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) mRNA expression in the liver. However, NC-1500 (30 mg/kg, p.o.) did not affect this Con A-induced TNF-alpha mRNA expression in the liver. The present results showed that NC-1500 inhibited Con A-induced hepatitis without affecting TNF-alpha mRNA expression in the liver.     

Retinoic acid alleviates Con A-induced hepatitis and differentially regulates effector production in NKT cells

Retinoic acid (RA) is a diverse regulator of immune responses. Although RA promotes natural killer T (NKT) cell activation in vitro by increasing CD1d expression on antigen-presenting cells (APCs), the direct effects of RA on NKT-cell responses in vivo are not known. In the present study, we demonstrated the effect of RA on the severity of Con A-induced hepatitis and molecular changes of NKT cells. First, we demonstrated that Con A-induced liver damage was ameliorated by RA. In correlation with cytokine levels in serum, RA regulated the production of IFN-γ and IL-4 but not TNF-α by NKT cells without influencing the NKT-cell activation status. However, RA did not alleviate α-GalCer-induced liver injury, even though it reduced IFN-γ and IL-4 but not TNF-α levels in serum. This regulation was also detected when liver mononuclear cells (MNCs) or NKT hybridoma cells were treated with RA in vitro. The regulatory effect of RA on NKT cells was mediated by RAR-α, and RA reduced the phosphorylation of MAPK. These results suggest that RA differentially modulates the production of effector cytokines by NKT cells in hepatitis, and the suppressive effect of RA on hepatitis varies with the pathogenic mechanism of liver injury.     

MicroRNA let-7a Ameliorates Con A-Induced Hepatitis by Inhibiting IL-6-Dependent Th17 Cell Differentiation

In this study we explored the effects of microRNA let-7a on Con A-induced hepatitis and its possible mechanisms involved. We demonstrated that IL-6 and IL-17 expression were significantly upregulated in the liver following Con A treatment and IL-6 level was correlated with the IL-17 expression. To explore whether let-7a may have therapeutic effect on Con A-induced hepatitis, mice was infected with a lentiviral vector containing the let-7a sequence 7 days before Con A treatment. Significantly reduced Th17 cells and remarkably increased regulatory T cells frequency in the liver tissue were found as compared to control mice. It was accompanied by a significant decreased level of inflammatory cytokines as TNF-α, IL-6 and IFN-γ in the serum, and an decreased level of Th17 lineage-specific genes such as Il17a, Il17f, Il21 and Il23r. let-7a was further found to inhibit Th17 differentiation by downregulating IL-6 secretion. It may represent as a novel therapeutic strategy in treating immune-mediated inflammatory hepatitis.