title: Chylomicrons alter the hepatic distribution and cellular response to endotoxin in rats.
abstract: Chylomicrons (CM) can bind endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide [LPS]), forming CM-LPS complexes, and protect against endotoxic shock and death in rodent models of gram-negative sepsis. The liver appears to play a central role in this process, as demonstrated by the increased uptake of LPS by this organ. We examined the effect of CM on the uptake and cellular response to injected 125I-LPS by hepatocytes and hepatic nonparenchymal cells. Whereas CM increased the uptake of LPS by both hepatocytes and Kupffer cells, the increase was proportionately greater in hepatocytes than Kupffer cells. Importantly, CM-LPS complexes inhibited inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) mRNA expression and NO production in Kupffer cells and endothelial cells, reducing mRNA levels by 45% to 50% as compared with LPS alone. CM-bound LPS also reduced NO production by hepatocytes in response to cytokine stimulation. Lastly, CM-LPS complexes yielded a concentration-dependent inhibition of LPS-induced tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) production by Kupffer cells in vitro. These data indicate that the mechanism by which CM protect against endotoxicity may involve an increased uptake of LPS by hepatocytes. Moreover, uptake of CM-bound LPS by liver cells attenuates the capacity of these cells to respond to proinflammatory stimulation. These results highlight important anti-inflammatory properties of CM.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, San Francisco General Hospital, University of California, San Francisco, 94110-3518, USA.
authors.forename: H W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Rockey
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chau
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002914:Chylomicrons / Q000378:metabolism*; D004727:Endothelium / Q000378:metabolism; D004731:Endotoxins / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007728:Kupffer Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000235:genetics; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002914:Chylomicrons; D004731:Endotoxins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; C496318:Nos2 protein, rat