Mild hypothermia attenuates liver injury and improves survival in mice with acetaminophen toxicity.
OBJECTIVE
Body temperature may critically affect mechanisms of liver injury in acetaminophen (APAP) hepatotoxicity. In addition, mild hypothermia is used to treat intracranial hypertension in human liver failure without detailed information on its effects on the injured liver itself. Therefore, we investigated the effects of body temperature on the progression of APAP-induced liver injury in mice.


METHODS
Male C57BL6 mice treated with saline or APAP (300 mg/kg intraperitoneally) were maintained at normothermia (35.5-37.5 degrees C) by external warming or were allowed to develop mild hypothermia (32.0-35.0 degrees C) after 2 hours from APAP administration.


RESULTS
Mild hypothermia resulted in improved survival after APAP intoxication. Liver damage was reduced, as assessed histologically and by plasma alanine aminotransferase levels. Early effects of hypothermia included a reduction of hepatic congestion and improved recovery of glycogen stores. At later time points (8-12 hours), APAP-treated mice that were maintained at normothermia manifested increased hepatocyte apoptosis, as assessed by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick-end labeling staining and cleavage of poly(adenosine diphosphate-ribose) polymerase. Mild hypothermia did not affect the formation of APAP-protein adducts or the depletion of glutathione, nor did it abrogate hepatocyte DNA synthesis.


CONCLUSIONS
Mild hypothermia improved survival and attenuated liver injury and apoptosis in APAP-treated mice by reducing hepatic congestion and improving glycogen recovery without affecting hepatic regeneration. Results of the study underscore the need for a strict control of body temperature in animal models of liver failure and suggest that the benefits of mild hypothermia in liver failure may extend beyond those related to reduced cerebral complications.
Vaquero
Javier
J
Neuroscience Research Unit, Hôpital Saint-Luc (CHUM), Université de Montréal, 1058 St. Denis Street, Montréal, Quebec, Canada.
Bélanger
Mireille
M
James
Laura
L
Herrero
Raquel
R
Desjardins
Paul
P
Côté
Jean
J
Blei
Andres T
AT
Butterworth
Roger F
RF
D000082:Acetaminophen / Q000633:toxicity*; D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic / Q000633:toxicity*; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D001831:Body Temperature; D002452:Cell Count; D002455:Cell Division; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D018736:DNA Adducts / Q000378:metabolism; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D006003:Glycogen / Q000378:metabolism; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D007036:Hypothermia, Induced; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009336:Necrosis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D015996:Survival Rate
D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic; D018736:DNA Adducts; D006454:Hemoglobins; D000082:Acetaminophen; D006003:Glycogen; D005978:Glutathione