Journal of Practical Hepatology ›› 2023, Vol. 26 ›› Issue (4): 472-475.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1672-5069.2023.04.005

• Hepatitis in mice • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Protection of mice with endotoxin-induced acute liver failure by antimicrobial peptide through inhibiting cell apoptosis

Ren Zengzhuoga, Wang Zhixin, Yin Fengjiao, et al   

  1. Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital, Qinghai University, Xining 810001, Qinghai Province, China
  • Received:2023-02-06 Online:2023-07-10 Published:2023-07-21

Abstract: Objective The aim of this study was to explore the protective effect and possible mechanism of antimicrobial peptide cathelicidin-PY in mice with lipopolysaccharide (LPS)/D-galactosamine (D-GalN)-induced acute liver failure (ALF). Methods 60 C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into control, model, low-dose cathelicidin-PY (1.0 mg.kg-1) –intervention and high-dose cathelicidin-PY (3.0 mg.kg-1) intervention group, with 15 mice in each group. The models of ALF in mice were established by intraperitoneal injection of LPS/D-GalN, and in intervention groups 2 hours before injection of LPS/D-GalN, the mice were injected with cathelicidin-PY via the tail vein. At 5 hours after LPS/D-GalN injection, the blood samples and liver tissues were collected in 5 sacrificed mice in each group, and the survivals within 24 hours of the residual mice was recorded in each group. Serum tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) levels were detected by ELISA, and the apoptosis of liver cells was detected by TUENL staining. The expression of cleaved cysteine proteinase 3 (cleaved caspase-3) in liver tissues was detected by Western blot. Results The 24 h survival rates in low-dose and high-dose cathelicidin-PY intervention groups were 40% (4/10) and 60% (6/10), significantly higher than 10.0% (1/10, P<0.05) in the model; serum TNF-α and IL-1β levels in the model group were (1069.4±178.0) pg/mL and (1354.1±162.9) pg/mL, both significantly higher than [ (140.7 ± 33.6) pg/mL and (436.2 ± 46.8) pg/mL, respectively, P<0.05] in the control, while serum TNF-α and IL-1β levels in the low-dose and high-dose cathelicidin-PY intervention groups decreased significantly compared to in model group (P<0.05); the numbers of apoptotic liver cells and expression of cleaved caspase-3 protein in liver tissues in the model group increased significantly (P<0.05) compared to in the control, while the numbers of apoptotic liver cells decreased, and the expression of cleaved caspase-3 protein became weak significantly compared to in the model in the low-dose and in the high-dose cathelicidin-PY intervention group (P<0.05). Conclusion The antimicrobial peptide, the cathelicidin-PY could reduce mortality in mice with LPS/D-GalN-induced ALF, probably by relieving inflammation response and inhibiting apoptosis of liver cells.

Key words: Acute liver failure, Antimicrobial peptide, Cathelicidin-PY, Apoptosis, Cysteine proteinase 3, Mice