title: Kir6.2 knockout aggravates lipopolysaccharide-induced mouse liver injury via enhancing NLRP3 inflammasome activation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  ATP-sensitive potassium (K-ATP) channels couple cellular metabolism to electric activity. Although Kir6.2-composed K-ATP channel (Kir6.2/K-ATP channel) has been demonstrated to regulate inflammation, a common cause of most liver diseases, its role in liver injury remains elusive.
  
  
  METHODS
  Kir6.2 knockout mice were used to prepared LPS-induced liver injury model so as to investigate the role of Kir6.2/K-ATP channels in the injury. Histochemistry was applied to evaluate the extent of liver injury. Proinflammatory cytokines were analyzed by ELISA. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and autophagy were assessed by western blotting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We showed that Kir6.2 knockout markedly promoted the infiltration of lymphocytes and neutrophils in liver and significantly elevated serum levels of alanine transaminase (ALT) in respond to LPS treatment. We further found that Kir6.2 deficiency enhanced the activation of NF-κB and NLRP3 inflammasome following LPS challenge, and thereby increased the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-18 and TNF-α. Treatment of wild-type mice with the K-ATP channel opener iptakalim (IPT) could protect against LPS-induced liver injury through attenuating NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated inflammatory responses. Furthermore, Kir6.2 knockout-induced activation of NLRP3 inflammasome aggravated endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, autophagy and subsequent hepatocyte death.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Kir6.2 deficiency exacerbated LPS-induced liver injury by enhancing NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated inflammatory response. Thus, Kir6.2/K-ATP channel may be a potential candidate target for the treatment and prevention of liver injury.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Nanjing Medical University, 140 Hanzhong Road, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Ren-Hong
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Du
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Nan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Chen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Qiao
authors.forename: Jian-Hua
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hu
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D001343:Autophagy; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D059865:Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress; D058847:Inflammasomes / Q000378:metabolism*; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000097:blood; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000097:blood; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism; D000071199:NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein; D009504:Neutrophils; D024661:Potassium Channels, Inwardly Rectifying / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011437:Propylamines / Q000494:pharmacology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000099161:Kcnj11 Channel
chemical_list: D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D058847:Inflammasomes; D020382:Interleukin-18; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D016328:NF-kappa B; D000071199:NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein; D024661:Potassium Channels, Inwardly Rectifying; D011437:Propylamines; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000099161:Kcnj11 Channel; C502260:N-(1-methylethyl)-1,1,2-trimethylpropylamine; C492716:Nlrp3 protein, mouse