Expression of cytokine mRNA in extrahepatic organs in a mouse concanavalin A-hepatitis model.
The liver injury in the concanavalin A (Con A)-induced mouse hepatitis model has been well studied. However, there has been little study on the effects of Con A on extrahepatic organs. The aim of the present work was to determine the effects of Con A on the spleen, kidney and lung. A histopathological study showed that Con A (15 mg/kg, i.v.) administration affects not only the liver, but also all these extrahepatic organs. Messenger RNA expression was studied by the using polymerase chain reaction. Treatment with Con A induced interleukin-2 mRNA in the spleen, but only slightly induced it in the kidney. The mRNAs of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) were induced in all these organs. At 24 hr after Con A treatment, the expression of IFN-gamma mRNA, but not that of TNF-alpha mRNA, was inhibited by cyclosporine A (50 mg/kg, i.p.), suggesting that Con A induced these cytokine mRNAs through different mechanisms. In the kidney and lung, CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell infiltration was suggested by the Con A-induced CD4 and CD8 mRNAs. The present study showed the histopathological effects of Con A and Con A-induced cytokine mRNA expression on the spleen, kidney and lung.
Okamoto
T
T
Research Laboratories, Nippon Chemiphar Co., Ltd., Misato, Saitama, Japan.
Nakano
Y
Y
Asakura
W
W
Kobayashi
T
T
Tsuzuike
N
N
Hara
K
K
D000818:Animals; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D016827:CD8 Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000633:toxicity*; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000494:pharmacology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000235:genetics*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics*; D013154:Spleen / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D016207:Cytokines; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D003208:Concanavalin A; D016572:Cyclosporine