The changes in inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokine levels in liver tissues and their relation to endotoxin-induced hepatic injury

Objective:To investigate the changes in inflammatory and antiinflammatory cytokine levels 〔tumor necrosis factorα(TNFα),interleukin6(IL6),IL4,IL10〕 in liver tissues and their relation to endotoxininduced hepatic injury.Methods:1 mg/kg or 10 mg/kg of E.coli 026:B6 lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were bolus injected to reproduce a mouse model of endotoxemia.TNFα,IL6,IL4 and IL10 levels in hepatic tissues were assayed using enzyme linked immunoadsorbent assay(ELISA).Results:Inflammatory (TNFα and IL6) and antiinflammatory cytokine (IL4 and IL10) levels in hepatic tissues significantly increased in a dose dependent fashion following LPS challenge.The release of the antiinflammatory mediators in the highdose group was shown to be later than that of the lowdose group.The antiinflammatory mediators in the lowdose group reached their peaks at 3 hours and the highdose group reached their peaks at 5 hours.Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and total bilirubin (TBIL) levels significantly increased 1 hour after highdose LPS injection.There were significant differences in serum ALT and TBIL levels between the two groups.The hepatic morphologic alterations were also shown to be paralleled with the dose of LPS.Conclusion:The levels of TNFα,IL6,IL4 and IL10 in hepatic tissues could successively produce after LPS challenge,the unbalance between them may contribute to the immune dysfunction and lead to hepatic injury.