title: Activating immunity in the liver. II. IFN-beta attenuates NK cell-dependent liver injury triggered by liver NKT cell activation.
abstract: Dendritic cell (DC)-dependent activation of liver NKT cells triggered by a single i.v. injection of a low dose (10-100 ng/mouse) of alpha-galactosyl ceramide (alphaGalCer) into mice induces liver injury. This response is particularly evident in HBs-tg B6 mice that express a transgene-encoded hepatitis B surface Ag in the liver. Liver injury following alphaGalCer injection is suppressed in mice depleted of NK cells, indicating that NK cells play a role in NK T cell-initiated liver injury. In vitro, liver NKT cells provide a CD80/86-dependent signal to alphaGalCer-pulsed liver DC to release IL-12 p70 that stimulates the IFN-gamma response of NKT and NK cells. Adoptive transfer of NKT cell-activated liver DC into the liver of nontreated, normal (immunocompetent), or immunodeficient (RAG(-/-) or HBs-tg/RAG(-/-)) hosts via the portal vein elicited IFN-gamma responses of liver NK cells in situ. IFN-beta down-regulates the pathogenic IL-12/IFN-gamma cytokine cascade triggered by NKT cell/DC/NK cell interactions in the liver. Pretreating liver DC in vitro with IFN-beta suppressed their IL-12 (but not IL-10) release in response to CD40 ligation or specific (alphaGalCer-dependent) interaction with liver NKT cells and down-regulated the IFN-gamma response of the specifically activated liver NKT cells. In vivo, IFN-beta attenuated the NKT cell-triggered induction of liver immunopathology. This study identifies interacting subsets of the hepatic innate immune system (and cytokines that up- and down-regulate these interactions) activated early in immune-mediated liver pathology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Immunology, Medical Faculty, University of Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia.
authors.forename: Zlatko
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Trobonjaca
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kröger
authors.forename: Detlef
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stober
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Leithäuser
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Möller
authors.forename: Hansjörg
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hauser
authors.forename: Reinhold
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schirmbeck
authors.forename: Jörg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Reimann
mesh_terms: D019264:Adoptive Transfer; D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000502:physiology; D018122:B7-1 Antigen / Q000502:physiology; D051940:B7-2 Antigen; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000637:transplantation; D005699:Galactosylceramides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D018122:B7-1 Antigen; D051940:B7-2 Antigen; C497965:Cd86 protein, mouse; D005699:Galactosylceramides; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D018664:Interleukin-12; D016899:Interferon-beta