Potential role of Kupffer cells in initiating liver injury during endotoxemia.
The potential contribution of Kupffer cells (KCs) to endotoxin-induced liver damage was evaluated by measuring the functional changes of KGs [Superoxide (O2-) generation, and chemotaxis (CTx)] isolated from such livers and comparing them with biochemical and histological changes of liver damage. Sublethal doses of endotoxin was daily administered to rats for 4 days. Liver damage was apparent in the rats treated with single administration of endotoxin and the maximal change was observed in the rats treated with endotoxin for 2 days in association with the marked enhancement of O2- release and CTx in vitro by KCs from these animals. However, liver injury decreased in the rats treated with endotoxin for 3 days and the rats treated with endotoxin for 4 days had shown almost no detectable injury. KCs' biological functions also diminished in group treated for 3 and 4 days. In particular, oxidative and chemotactic responses of KCs from rats treated for 4 days significantly decreased, compared with the cells from those treated for only two days. These results indicate that KCs are pivotal in the pathogenesis of liver injury during endotoxemia.
First Department of Surgery, Kyushu University, Faculty of Medicine, Fukuoka, Japan.
M
M
Katoh
M
M
Torisu
D000818:Animals; D002630:Chemotactic Factors / Q000494:pharmacology; D002633:Chemotaxis / Q000187:drug effects; D007728:Kupffer Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D012157:Mononuclear Phagocyte System / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D010587:Phagocytosis; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012772:Shock, Septic / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology*
D002630:Chemotactic Factors