title: Beneficial effect of glatiramer acetate (Copaxone) on immune modulation of experimental hepatic fibrosis.
abstract: While CD8 subsets activate hepatic fibrosis, natural killer (NK) cells exhibit antifibrotic activity. Glatiramer acetate (GA) is an immune modulator for multiple sclerosis. We assessed the potential impact of GA on mouse hepatic fibrogenesis. Hepatic fibrosis was induced in C57BL/6 mice by intraperitoneal administration of carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4)) for 6 wk. During the last 2 wk, animals were also treated with either GA (200 mu/day ip) or medium and compared with naive and fibrotic mice (8 animals/group). GA markedly attenuated fibrosis without altering reactive oxygen species production. By morphometric measurement of Sirius red-stained tissue sections, the relative fibrosis area decreased from 5.28 +/- 0.32% (mean +/- SE) in the untreated CCl(4) group to 2.01 +/- 0.28% in CCl(4)+GA-treated animals, compared with 0.38 +/- 0.07% in naive mice. alpha-Smooth muscle actin immunoblotting and mRNA expression revealed a similar pattern. Serum aminotransferase and Ishak-Knodell necroinflammatory score were markedly elevated, to the same extent, in both CCl(4)-treated groups. Fibrosis induction was associated with significant increase in CD8 subsets and decrease in CD4 T cells. After GA treatment, however, NK content, CD4(+)CD25(+)FoxP3(+) cells, hepatic expression of tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL), and apoptosis of hepatic stellate cells were all increased. Serum interleukin (IL)-10 levels markedly rose, whereas IL-4 fell. In vitro activation of human hepatic stellate cells cocultured with hepatitis C virus-derived peripheral blood lymphocytes decreased when lymphocytes were preincubated with GA before coculture. In an animal model of hepatic fibrosis, GA has an antifibrotic effect associated with decreased CD8 cells and reduced serum IL-4 levels and increased NK cells, CD4(+)CD25(+)FoxP3(+) cells, TRAIL, and elevated serum IL-10 levels.
authors.affiliation: Liver and Gastroenterology Units, Div of Medicine, Hadassah University Hospital, 91120 Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: Amjad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Horani
authors.forename: Nidal
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Muhanna
authors.forename: Orit
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Pappo
authors.forename: Alaa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Melhem
authors.forename: Carlos E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Alvarez
authors.forename: Sarit
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Doron
authors.forename: Wehbi
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wehbi
authors.forename: Karussis
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dimitrios
authors.forename: Scott L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Friedman
authors.forename: Rifaat
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Safadi
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride / Q000633:toxicity; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D019392:Cytochrome P-450 CYP2E1 / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D000068717:Glatiramer Acetate; D043384:Glutamyl Aminopeptidase / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000097:blood; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008106:Liver Cirrhosis, Experimental / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010455:Peptides / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013154:Spleen / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D053221:TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D010455:Peptides; D053221:TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand; C505654:Tnfsf10 protein, mouse; D016753:Interleukin-10; D015847:Interleukin-4; D000068717:Glatiramer Acetate; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; D019392:Cytochrome P-450 CYP2E1; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D043384:Glutamyl Aminopeptidase