Journal
JOURNAL OF HEPATOLOGY
Volume 47, Issue 4, Pages 571-579Publisher
ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2007.04.019
Keywords
toll-like receptors; non-alcoholic steatohepatitis; clodronate liposomes; hepatic inflammation; fibrosis; endotoxin
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Funding
- NHLBI NIH HHS [K01 HL084723-01, 1K01HL084723-01, K01 HL084723] Funding Source: Medline
- NIDDK NIH HHS [3P01DK43785-13S1, P01 DK043785, P01 DK043785-14S1] Funding Source: Medline
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Background/Aims: Studies in animal models and humans suggest a link between endotoxemia and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. Since Kupffer cells are responsible for clearing endotoxin and are activated via endotoxin interaction with Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR-4), we examined the relationship between hepatic TLR-4 expression and Kupffer cell content during the genesis of steatohepatitis. Methods: Male C57BL/6, C3H/HouJ and TLR-4 mutant C3H/HeJ mice were fed control or methionine/choline-deficient diet (MCDD). In one group of C57BL/6 mice, Kupffer cells were depleted by weekly intraperitoneal injections of clodronate liposomes. After 3 weeks, serum ALT activity and portal endotoxin levels were measured. Real-time PCR was used to examine mRNA expression of TLR-4, TLR-2, CD14, MD-2, TGF beta, TNF alpha, CD36, PPAR-alpha, liver fatty acid binding protein (L-FABP) and collagen alpha 1. Results: We observed histological evidence typical of steatohepatitis, portal endotoxemia and enhanced TLR-4 expression in wild type mice fed MCDD. In contrast, injury and lipid accumulation markers were significantly lower in TLR-4 mutant mice. Destruction of Kupffer cells with clodronate liposomes blunted histological evidence of steatohepatitis and prevented increases in TLR-4 expression. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate the importance of TLR-4 signaling and underscore a direct link between TLR-4 and Kupffer cells in the pathogenesis of steatohepatitis. (C) 2007 European Association for the Study of the Liver. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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