title: Up-regulated Reg proteins induced by Interleukin-22 treatment ameliorate acute liver injury in rat model.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The regenerating gene (Reg), encoding lectin-related protein, was originally isolated from a rat regenerating pancreatic islets. Interleukin-22 (IL-22), a recently identified cytokine, is produced by Th 17 cells and natural killer cells. Both of them have been shown to play an important role in controlling tissue repair. But, it is unclear whether the IL-22/Reg axis is involved in liver regeneration and the improvement of liver function in a rat model of acute liver injury.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We investigated the expression levels of Reg proteins after IL-22 stimulation in a rat model of acute liver injury, and estimated the effects of Reg proteins ameliorating acute liver injury.
  
  
  METHODS
  Western blot was used to measure the expressions of Reg I, Reg III, Reg IV proteins after treatment with recombinant lentivirus IL-22. At the same time, the expression levels of TB, ALT, AST, endotoxin (ETM), superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA) were detected by related reagents.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In a rat model of acute liver injury, the expression levels of Reg I, Reg III, Reg IV proteins were increased after treatment with IL-22 recombinant lentivirus compared with treatment with lentivirus-empty vector, especially, Reg IV protein expression. Meanwhile, treatment with IL-22 recombinant lentivirus reduced serum levels of TB, ALT, AST, ETM, and decreased MAD levels in rat liver tissues, but increased SOD levels in rat liver tissues.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IL-22 stimulation enhanced the expressions of Reg proteins in liver cell, especially, Reg IV protein, and ameliorated liver injury in a rat model of acute liver injury. Reg protein, especially Reg IV protein, might act as a biological mediator of immune cell-derived IL-22 in the recovering mechanism of liver injury.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hemotology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University Chongqing, China.
authors.forename: Hong-Bin
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University Chongqing, China.
authors.forename: Hong-Chun
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University Chongqing, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Juan
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Xin
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University Chongqing, China.
authors.forename: Ai-Zhong
authors.initials: AZ
authors.lastname: Zeng
keywords: Reg protein; interleukin-22 (IL-22); liver injury; liver regeneration