title: Liver X receptor protects against liver injury in sepsis caused by rodent cecal ligation and puncture.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Liver X receptor (LXR) is a transcription factor of the nuclear receptor family, regulating genes involved in metabolism, inflammation, and apoptosis. In the present investigation, we examined the role of LXR in organ injury and systemic inflammation in rodent models of polymicrobial peritonitis caused by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP).
  
  
  METHODS
  Rats were subjected to CLP sepsis or a sham operation. Some were treated with the synthetic LXR agonist GW3965 0.3 mg/kg 30 min prior to the CLP procedure, and organs and plasma were harvested at 3, 10, 18, or 24 h. Organs were analyzed for RNA expression by quantitative polymerase chain reaction or for morphologic differences by histologic review. Organ injury and inflammatory markers were measured in plasma.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Expression of the LXRα gene was decreased in the livers of CLP rats compared with sham-operated rats. Administration of a synthetic agonist of LXR (GW3965) reduced biochemical indices of liver injury in the blood of CLP rats. We also demonstrated that liver injury associated with CLP is aggravated in LXRα- and LXRαβ-deficient mice compared with wild-type and LXRβ-deficient mice, indicating a role for LXRα in protecting the liver. The enhanced liver injury in LXR-deficient mice was associated with elevated plasma concentrations of high mobility group box 1, a late mediator of inflammation and a known factor in the pathology of this model.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Collectively, these results argue in favor of a role for LXRα in protection against liver injury in experimental sepsis induced by CLP.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Surgical Research, Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet HF, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Yun Yong
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Una
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Ryg
authors.forename: Maria K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Dahle
authors.forename: Knut R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Steffensen
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Thiemermann
authors.forename: Irshad H
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Chaudry
authors.forename: Finn P
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Reinholt
authors.forename: Jon L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Collins
authors.forename: Hilde I
authors.initials: HI
authors.lastname: Nebb
authors.forename: Ansgar O
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Aasen
authors.forename: Jan-Åke
authors.initials: JÅ
authors.lastname: Gustafsson
authors.forename: Jacob E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002432:Cecum / Q000293:injuries*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D008026:Ligation; D017093:Liver Failure / Q000276:immunology*; D000071518:Liver X Receptors; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D057093:Orphan Nuclear Receptors / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D011677:Punctures; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012376:Rodent Diseases / Q000276:immunology; D018805:Sepsis / Q000150:complications*
chemical_list: D000071518:Liver X Receptors; C000605214:Nr1h3 protein, mouse; C000605215:Nr1h3 protein, rat; D057093:Orphan Nuclear Receptors