Differential contributions of C3, C5, and decay-accelerating factor to ethanol-induced fatty liver in mice.
OBJECTIVE
The complement pathway is an important component of the innate and adaptive immune response. Here we tested the hypothesis that activation of complement is required for development of ethanol-induced fatty liver.


METHODS
Wild-type mice and mice lacking the third (C3) or fifth (C5) components of the complement activation pathway, as well as mice lacking decay-accelerating factor (CD55/DAF), a complement regulatory protein, were fed Lieber-DeCarli ethanol-containing diets for 6 weeks or pair-fed control diets.


RESULTS
Ethanol feeding to wild-type mice increased C3a in plasma. Wild-type and C5-/- mice fed the ethanol diet developed hepatic steatosis characterized by microvesicular and macrovesicular lipid accumulation and increased triglyceride content. C3-/- mice did not develop steatosis, while CD55/DAF-/- mice accumulated even more hepatic triglyceride after ethanol feeding than wild-type mice. Levels of serum alanine aminotransferase and hepatic tumor necrosis factor alpha, indicators of hepatocyte injury and inflammation, respectively, were increased in wild-type and CD55/DAF-/- mice but not in C5-/- mice after ethanol feeding. In contrast to the protective effect of C3-/- against ethanol-induced steatosis, levels of both alanine aminotransferase and tumor necrosis factor alpha were increased in C3-/- mice after ethanol feeding.


CONCLUSIONS
Here we have identified several elements of the complement system as important contributors to ethanol-induced fatty liver. C3 contributed primarily to the accumulation of triglyceride in the liver, whereas C5 was involved in inflammation and injury to hepatocytes. Further, the absence of CD55/DAF exacerbated these responses, suggesting that CD55/DAF serves as a barrier to ethanol-induced fatty liver.
Pritchard
Michele T
MT
Department of Nutrition, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106-4906.|Pathology, Western Reserve University, Case Cleveland, OH 44106-4906.
McMullen
Megan R
MR
Department of Nutrition, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106-4906.|Pathology, Western Reserve University, Case Cleveland, OH 44106-4906.
Stavitsky
Abram B
AB
Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106-4906.
Cohen
Jessica I
JI
Department of Nutrition, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106-4906.
Lin
Feng
F
Pathology, Western Reserve University, Case Cleveland, OH 44106-4906.
Edward Medof
M
M
Pathology, Western Reserve University, Case Cleveland, OH 44106-4906.
Nagy
Laura E
LE
Department of Nutrition, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106-4906.
D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D018958:CD55 Antigens / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000097:blood; D003176:Complement C3 / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015926:Complement C3a / Q000378:metabolism; D003182:Complement C5 / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D019392:Cytochrome P-450 CYP2E1 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004790:Enzyme Induction; D000431:Ethanol / Q000097:blood; D005235:Fatty Liver, Alcoholic / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000378:metabolism; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
D018958:CD55 Antigens; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D003176:Complement C3; D003182:Complement C5; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014280:Triglycerides; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000431:Ethanol; D015926:Complement C3a; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D019392:Cytochrome P-450 CYP2E1; D000410:Alanine Transaminase