First Author | Jaruga B | Year | 2003 |
Journal | J Immunol | Volume | 171 |
Issue | 6 | Pages | 3233-44 |
PubMed ID | 12960353 | Mgi Jnum | J:85386 |
Mgi Id | MGI:2674211 | Doi | 10.4049/jimmunol.171.6.3233 |
Citation | Jaruga B, et al. (2003) Crucial role of IL-4/STAT6 in T cell-mediated hepatitis: up-regulating eotaxins and IL-5 and recruiting leukocytes. J Immunol 171(6):3233-44 |
abstractText | T cell-mediated immune responses are implicated in the pathogenesis of a variety of liver disorders; however, the underlying mechanism remains obscure. Con A injection is a widely accepted mouse model to study T cell-mediated liver injury, in which STAT6 is rapidly activated. Disruption of the IL-4 and STAT6 gene by way of genetic knockout abolishes Con A-mediated liver injury without affecting IFN-gamma/STAT1, IL-6/STAT3, or TNF-alpha/NF-kappaB signaling or affecting NKT cell activation. Infiltration of neutrophils and eosinophils in Con A-induced hepatitis is markedly suppressed in IL-4 (-/-) and STAT6(-/-) mice compared with wild-type mice. IL-4 treatment induces expression of eotaxins in hepatocytes and sinusoidal endothelial cells isolated from wild-type mice but not from STAT6(-/-) mice. Con A injection induces expression of eotaxins in the liver and elevates serum levels of IL-5 and eotaxins; such induction is markedly attenuated in IL-4(-/-) and STAT6(-/-) mice. Finally, eotaxin blockade attenuates Con A-induced liver injury and leukocyte infiltration. Taken together, these findings suggest that IL-4/STAT6 plays a critical role in Con A-induced hepatitis, via enhancing expression of eotaxins in hepatocytes and sinusoidal endothelial cells, and induces IL-5 expression, thereby facilitating recruitment of eosinophils and neutrophils into the liver and resulting in hepatitis. |