title: A novel accessory role of neutrophils in concanavalin A-induced hepatitis.
abstract: Concanavalin A (Con A)-induced hepatitis has been investigated as a model of T cell-mediated liver injury, in which IFN-gamma plays an essential role by inducing apoptosis of liver cells. Since a large number of neutrophils infiltrate into the liver in the model, the role of neutrophils was investigated in this study. Con A hardly caused liver injury in neutrophil-depleted mice, as assessed as to the plasma alanine aminotransferase level as well as histochemistry. Neutrophil-depleted mice also failed to produce IFN-gamma. Intracellular IFN-gamma staining revealed that, among liver leukocytes, T and NK cells but not neutrophils are the main producers of IFN-gamma. Nylon wool-purified "T cells", however, failed to produce IFN-gamma in response to Con A in vitro, while the production was restored by the addition of neutrophils. Overall, this study suggests that neutrophils play a novel accessory role in IFN-gamma production in Con A-induced hepatitis.
authors.affiliation: Division of Molecular Medicine, Department of Biomolecular Science, Faculty of Science, Toho University, Funabashi, Chiba 274-8510, Japan.
authors.forename: Sachiyo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hatada
authors.forename: Toshie
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ohta
authors.forename: Yoshiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shiratsuchi
authors.forename: Masayo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hatano
authors.forename: Yoshiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000097:blood; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D047589:Leukocyte Reduction Procedures; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D003208:Concanavalin A; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D000410:Alanine Transaminase