title: Critical role of CXC chemokines in endotoxemic liver injury in mice.
abstract: Tissue accumulation of leukocytes constitutes a rate-limiting step in endotoxin-induced tissue injury. Chemokines have the capacity to regulate leukocyte trafficking. However, the role of CXC chemokines, i.e., macrophage inflammatory protein-2 (MIP-2) and cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant (KC), in leukocyte recruitment, microvascular perfusion failure, cellular injury, and apoptosis in the liver remains elusive. Herein, mice were challenged with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in combination with D-galactosamine, and intravital microscopy of the liver microcirculation was conducted 6 h later. It was found that immunoneutralization of MIP-2 and KC did not reduce LPS-induced leukocyte rolling and adhesion in postsinusoidal venules. In contrast, pretreatment with monoclonal antibodies against MIP-2 and KC abolished (83% reduction) extravascular recruitment of leukocytes in the livers of endotoxemic mice. Notably, endotoxin challenge increased the expression of CXC chemokines, which was mainly confined to hepatocytes. Moreover, endotoxin-induced increases of liver enzymes and hepatocellular apoptosis were decreased by more than 82% and 68%, respectively, and sinusoidal perfusion was restored in mice passively immunized against MIP-2 and KC. In conclusion, this study indicates that intravascular accumulation of leukocytes in the liver is independent of CXC chemokines in endotoxemic mice. Instead, our novel data suggest that CXC chemokines are instrumental in regulating endotoxin-induced transmigration and extravascular tissue accumulation of leukocytes. Indeed, these findings demonstrate that interference with MIP-2 and KC functions protects against septic liver damage and may constitute a potential therapeutic strategy to control pathological inflammation in endotoxemia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Malmö University Hospital, Lund University, Sweden.
authors.forename: Xiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Klintman
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Tohru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Bengt
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jeppsson
authors.forename: Henrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Thorlacius
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D054360:Chemokine CXCL1; D054426:Chemokine CXCL2; D018925:Chemokines; D019743:Chemokines, CXC / Q000502:physiology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000502:physiology; D019446:Endotoxemia / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D036904:Leukocyte Rolling / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D008099:Liver / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008833:Microcirculation; D018715:Microscopy, Video; D015846:Monokines / Q000502:physiology; D015427:Reperfusion Injury
chemical_list: D054360:Chemokine CXCL1; D054426:Chemokine CXCL2; D018925:Chemokines; D019743:Chemokines, CXC; C475895:Cxcl1 protein, mouse; D016207:Cytokines; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D015846:Monokines; C074302:keratinocyte-derived chemokines