The Effect of Suppressive Oligonucleotides on Cytokine Expression of Concanavalin A-induced Liver Injury in Mice

To investigate the protective effect of suppressive oligonucleotides (Sup ODN) on concanavalin A (Con A)-induced liver injury in mice. The adopted Forty Balb / C mice were randomly divided into 4 groups, normal saline(NS) group, control oligonucleotides(Con ODN) group, cyclosporin A (CsA) group and Sup ODN group. Mice in each group were injected with Con A(20 mg / kg) via the tail vein. NS(0.3 mL per mouse), Con ODN(20 mg / kg), CsA(130 mg / kg) or Sup ODN(20 mg / kg) was injected intraperitoneally at 2 hours after Con A injection. Death rate of each group at 8 hours after intraperitoneal injection was calculated and survived mice were killed in order to get blood and liver samples. Activity of aminnotransferase(ALT) was tested and levels of TNF-α, IFN-γ and IL-4 were detected by ELISA. Expression of TNF-α and IFN-γ mRNA in liver tissue was detected by RT-PCR. Histopathological examination for liver was also performed. It was found that ALT activity in Sup ODN group was significantly lower compared with NS or Con ODN group respectively(P 0.01). Decreased level of IFN-γ and its mRNA expression and increased level of IL-4 in Sup ODN group were marked compared with NS, Con ODN and CsA group(P 0.01). Hepatic histopathology changes were alleviated in Sup ODN group compared with NS and Con ODN group. The research indicated Sup ODN has a certain protective effect on Con A-induced mice liver injury.