title: Repeated administrations of concanavalin A induce Th1 to Th2 cytokine shift and tolerance against liver injury in mice.
abstract: The intravenous injection of concanavalin A (Con A) activates T cells and induces cytokine dependent liver injury in mice. However, the effect of repeated administrations of Con A has not been fully investigated. Female BALB/c mice were intravenously injected with Con A (20mg/kg) or saline once a week for six times. Mice were rechallenged with Con A 17 days after repeated administrations of Con A. Repeated Con A administrations elicited a sustained inhibition of rechallenged-Con A-induced liver injury. Plasma TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma levels after rechallenge of Con A were decreased compared with that of repeated saline treatments. By contrast, plasma IL-4 and IL-10 levels after rechallenge of Con A were increased. In spleen cells prepared from repeated Con A treated mice, the production of TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma 24h after co-incubation with Con A decreased, and that of IL-4 and IL-10 increased. In naive mice, plasma ALT level after Con A injection was decreased by the transfer of spleen cells prepared from the repeated Con A treated mice. The repeated administrations of Con A elicited Th1 to Th2 cytokine shift and the tolerant state against the Con A-induced liver injury in mice.
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Internal Medicine, Asahikawa Medical College, Asahikawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Yosui
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tamaki
authors.forename: Masashi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yoneda
authors.forename: Keisuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Shiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yokohama
authors.forename: Masakazu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haneda
authors.forename: Kimihide
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakamura