Antioxidants attenuate nuclear factor-kappa B activation and tumor necrosis factor-alpha production in alcoholic hepatitis patient monocytes and rat Kupffer cells, in vitro

There is increased tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF) activity in alcoholic hepatitis (AH). OBJECTIVES: To examine the effects of antioxidants and glutathione enhancing agents on NF-kappaB activation and TNF production in Kupffer cells and monocytes. DESIGN AND METHODS: Isolated rat Kupffer cells and peripheral blood monocytes from AH patients were treated in vitro. NF-kappaB activation was assessed by electrophoretic mobility shift assay and TNF was measured in cell culture supernatants. RESULTS: Monocytes from AH patients had greater TNF production compared to normal volunteers. Pretreatment with antioxidants or gluathione enhancing agents inhibited TNF production and NF-kappaB activation in both monocytes from normal and AH patients as well as in rat Kupffer cells. CONCLUSIONS: There may be a therapeutic role for antioxidants or glutathione enhancing agents in disease states with increased TNF activity such as AH.