title: Up-regulation of Galectin-9 in vivo results in immunosuppressive effects and prolongs survival of liver allograft in rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Acute rejection is still a major cause of graft dysfunction and would jeopardize recipients' post-transplantation survival. Current studies demonstrate that Galectin-9 (Gal-9) is associated with down-regulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines, thus, possesses a negative immune regulatory role. However, the specific role of Gal-9 in liver transplant remains unknown.
  
  
  METHODS
  To establish acute rejection models of rat liver transplantation (Lewis-BN, n = 45), recipients were randomly divided into following three groups: the transfected group (n = 15); the blank plasmid group (n = 15); and the control group (n = 15). The transfected group was perfused with Ad-galectin-9 through the portal vein during the cold ischemia period. The blank plasmid group was perfused with non-target vector, and the control group was perfused with saline. The acute rejection was assayed by pathological examination; Gal-9, T-bet, RORγt, GATA3 and Foxp3 mRNA expression was detected by real-time PCR; Western blots and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays were performed to measure IFN-γ, IL-10 and IL-17 expression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The pathological change of the transfected group was ameliorated than that of the other two groups. The Gal-9 mRNA level in the transfected group was much higher than that in the other two groups (*P < 0.05); T-bet and RORγt mRNA levels were significantly lower in the transfected group than in the other two groups while GATA3 and Foxp3 were not shown statistics significances (*P < 0.05). The IFN-γ and IL-17 levels in the transfected group were significantly lower than in the other two groups (*P < 0.05 for both protein and serum levels).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Up-regulation of Gal-9 in vivo turns immune system toward immnuosuppression and prolongs rats liver allograft survival by the diminishment of Th1/Th17.
authors.affiliation: Chongqing Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, 76# Linjiang Road, Chongqing 400010, China. Electronic address: ncisgibbs@163.com.
authors.forename: Yi-Ming
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Chongqing Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, 76# Linjiang Road, Chongqing 400010, China. Electronic address: doctorcy007@163.com.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Chongqing Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, 76# Linjiang Road, Chongqing 400010, China. Electronic address: vitamin198305@163.com.
authors.forename: Jin-Zheng
authors.initials: JZ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Chongqing Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, 76# Linjiang Road, Chongqing 400010, China. Electronic address: gongjianping11@126.com.
authors.forename: Jian-Ping
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Gong
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D050990:GATA3 Transcription Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D037161:Galectins / Q000235:genetics*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D007108:Immune Tolerance / Q000235:genetics*; D008099:Liver / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008297:Male; D057132:Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 1, Group F, Member 3 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D015996:Survival Rate; D020825:T-Box Domain Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D000098815:T-bet Transcription Factor
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; C500522:Foxp3 protein, rat; D050990:GATA3 Transcription Factor; D037161:Galectins; D057132:Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 1, Group F, Member 3; D020825:T-Box Domain Proteins; D000098815:T-bet Transcription Factor; C513912:galectin 9, rat
keywords: Acute rejection response; Galectin-9; Induced immunosuppression; Orthotpoic liver transplantation