The activation of the immune system in terms of subseptic conditions during liver regeneration is of great clinical importance. However, its molecular mediators and mechanisms, which are responsible for hepatocyte proliferation, are not well understood. This work sought to determine the functional role of innate and adaptive immune cells in response to partial hepatectomy (PH), and to analyze whether integrin lymphocyte function-associated antigen (LFA-) 1 modulates liver regeneration in a subseptic setting.
To analyze liver regeneration a 2/3 PH was performed on mice. Subseptic conditions were achieved via low dose LPS application after the operation.
It was shown that low-dose LPS application after PH significantly delays liver regeneration, but does not prevent it. Moreover, greater liver damage after PH under subseptic conditions was noticed. A recruitment of neutrophils to the liver parenchyma after PH and LPS application was detected. The results of this work could show that this recruitment was due to LPS and not due to the PH suggesting that neutrophils do not influence liver regeneration after PH. For T-lymphocytes a protective role was postulated as a reduced number of T-cells in the liver was in line with greater liver damage and delayed liver regeneration in a subseptic setting. Integrins are essential for leucocyte migration. In LFA-1-/- mice an impaired regenerative capacity of the liver and greater liver damage was observed as well after PH as after PH and low-dose LPS application. Especially in a subseptic setting the number of T-lymphocytes in the liver parenchyma in absence of LFA-1 was reduced. Analysis of different leukocyte subpopulations showed less CD3+NK1.1+ NKT cells in the liver parenchyma of LFA-1-/- mice after PH and LPS application compared to WT controls, while CD3-NK1.1+ NK cells markedly increased. Concordantly with this observation, lower levels of the NKT cell related cytokine IL23 were expressed in LFA-1-/- mice, while the expression of CCL5 and IL-10 was increased compared to the WT mice. CCL5, among others, is important in the migration of NK cells. IL-10 is produced early and in a great amount by NK cells during acute systemic inflammation.
In conclusion this work postulates a positive influence of NKT cells during liver regeneration in a subseptic setting and indicates a essential role of LFA-1 in the recruitment of NKT cells to the liver parenchyma.
The results of this work will potentially play an important role in clinical decisions and in the development of novel therapy strategies: First, the indication for a simultaneously performed extensive operation on the liver and colon should be reevalutated critically because in case of an LPS-mediated, subseptic setting developing liver regeneration would be delated. Second, future therapeutic approaches that stimulate NKT cells might be successful in improving liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy, e.g., for oncological reasons or during living liver transplantation.
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The activation of the immune system in terms of subseptic conditions during liver regeneration is of great clinical importance. However, its molecular mediators and mechanisms, which are responsible for hepatocyte proliferation, are not well understood. This work sought to determine the functional role of innate and adaptive immune cells in response to partial hepatectomy (PH), and to analyze whether integrin lymphocyte function-associated antigen (LFA-) 1 modulates liver regeneration in a subse...
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