title: [The protection mechanisms of glycine against liver injury induced by lipopolysaccharides].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the protective mechanisms of glycine (Gly) on lipopolysaccharides (LPS) induced liver injury.
  
  
  METHODS
  BABL/c mice were randomly divided into a LPS group, in which the animals were intraperitoneally injected with 10 mg/kg LPS, and a Gly group, in which the mice were pretreated with a 5% Gly-containing diet for 3 days before receiving the same dose of LPS. The livers of the mice were examined for histopathological changes. The TNF alpha and interleukin-10 (IL-10) levels in the blood plasma were measured using ELISA analysis. The mRNA expression of TNF alpha, IL-10 and Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) in hepatic tissues were detected using RT-PCR analysis. Protein expression of TLR4 in livers was detected using immunohistochemistry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The Gly group mice had an improved survival rate and attenuated LPS-induced pathological changes in the liver tissues in comparison with those of the LPS group animals. The TNF alpha levels [(1,852.80+/-126.64) pg/ml vs (708.83+/-51.29) pg/ml, P<0.05] in plasma, as well as the expression of TNF alpha (A 1.59+/-0.14 vs. 0.91+/-0.11, P<0.05) and TLR4 (A 0.97+/-0.12 vs. 0.53+/-0.11, P<0.05) mRNA in liver tissues were decreased. However, the levels of plasma interleukin-10 [(344.09+/-31.70) pg/ml vs (418.64+/-38.86) pg/ml, P<0.05] were significantly increased and the peaking time left, shifted.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Gly pretreatment could attenuate LPS -induced liver injury in mice, which may be associated with its role in down-regulating TLR4 expression and up-regulating IL-10 production.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing University of Medical Sciences, Chongqing 400010, China.
authors.forename: Hai-bo
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: You
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xu-hong
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xian-feng
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Zuo-jin
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jian-ping
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Gong
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015536:Down-Regulation; D005260:Female; D005998:Glycine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000009:adverse effects; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4 / Q000378:metabolism*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; C493487:Tlr4 protein, mouse; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016753:Interleukin-10; D005998:Glycine