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Query: UNIPROT:P43026 (
lipopolysaccharide
)
62,215
document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)
The availability of recombinant autoantigens allows the experimental study of the relationships between
primary biliary cirrhosis
(
PBC
) and mitochondrial antigens. We took advantage of these recombinant autoantigens and attempted to induce autoimmune cholangitis by immunizing neonatally thymectomized (NTx)
lipopolysaccharide
(
LPS
)-treated A/J mice, known to be prone to organ-specific autoimmune diseases. We employed a recombinant protein containing a dual-headed molecule that coexpresses the immunodominant epitope of the E2 subunits of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex and the branched-chain keto-acid dehydrogenase complex. We report herein that an immune-mediated cholangiohepatitis was induced by such immunization and the concurrent injection of
LPS
into NTx mice. The incidence of cholangitis was 79% in the NTx, immunized,
LPS
group compared to 14% in the NTx, nonimmunized,
LPS
group. The histopathology ranged from mild to severe and included bile duct damage, focal hepatic necrosis, and endotheliitis, but no granulomas. Moreover, almost all such lesions persisted for 12 weeks after the discontinuation of immunization and
LPS
injections in the NTx mice. Interestingly, we were successful (89%) in transferring the cholangiohepatitis by injection of liver infiltrating mononuclear cells from the NTx, immunized,
LPS
mice into congenic nonimmunized NTx mice; such lesions could not be transferred with spleen cells. Although the pathology is not typical of
PBC
, this model offers a unique venue for the study of immune-mediated hepatobiliary injury.
...
PMID:Induction and persistence of immune-mediated cholangiohepatitis in neonatally thymectomized mice. 978 16
The liver plays an important physiological role in
lipopolysaccharide
(
LPS
) detoxification and, in particular, hepatocytes are involved in the clearance of endotoxin of intestinal derivation. In experimental shock models, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha induces hepatocyte apoptosis and lethal effects are due to secreted TNF-alpha and not to cell-associated TNF-alpha. An exaggerated production of TNF-alpha has been reported in murine viral infections, in which mice become sensitized to low amounts of
LPS
and both interferon (IFN)-gamma and IFN-alpha/beta are involved in the macrophage-induced release of TNF-alpha. The prominent role of
LPS
and TNF-alpha in liver injury is also supported by studies of ethanol-induced hepatic damage. In humans, evidence of
LPS
-induced hepatic injury has been reported in cirrhosis, autoimmune hepatitis, and
primary biliary cirrhosis
and a decreased phagocytic activity of the reticulo-endothelial system has been found in these diseases. The origin of endotoxemia in hepatitis C virus (HCV) infected patients seems to be multifactorial and
LPS
may be of exogenous or endogenous derivation. In endotoxemic HCV-positive patients responsive to a combined treatment with IFN-alpha/ribavirin (RIB), endotoxemia was no longer detected at the end of the therapeutic regimen. By contrast, 48% of the non-responders to this treatment were still endotoxemic and their monocytes displayed higher intracellular TNF-alpha and interleukin (IL)-1beta levels than responders. Moreover, in responders, an equilibrium between IFN-gamma and IL-10 serum levels was attained. In the non-responders, serum levels of IL-10 did not increase following treatment. This may imply that an imbalance between T helper (Th)1 and Th2 derived cytokines could be envisaged in the non-responders.
...
PMID:The role of the liver in the response to LPS: experimental and clinical findings. 1253 90
A bacteriological aetiology is suspected to be the triggering factor in
primary biliary cirrhosis
. We studied lipid A, the toxic and immunogenic moiety of gram-negative bacteria
lipopolysaccharide
, which accumulates abnormally in Kupffer cells, hepatocytes, and biliary epithelial cells in
primary biliary cirrhosis
patients. Anti-lipid A antibody levels from serum samples from 36
primary biliary cirrhosis
patients, drawn before and after ursodeoxycholic acid treatment, were compared to those from patients with other liver diseases (n=236), non-hepatic diseases (n=249), and healthy subjects (n=75). In
primary biliary cirrhosis
patients, the prevalence of IgM anti-lipid A antibodies was higher before than after ursodeoxycholic acid therapy (64% vs 22%, respectively; P<0.001). Patients with anti-lipid A antibodies had significantly higher IgM levels than those without antibodies (8.7+/-1.1 g/l vs 4.4+/-0.8 g/l, P<0.02). Total IgM levels were correlated with anti-lipid A antibody levels (r=0.65, P<0.02). After therapy, the serum IgM levels decreased significantly (P<0.03). These results indicate that bacterial antigens may participate in the observed increase of serum IgM levels, and support an aetiological role of a gut-derived endotoxin antigen in the pathogenesis of
primary biliary cirrhosis
.
...
PMID:Immune response to lipopolysaccharide in primary biliary cirrhosis and autoimmune diseases. 1498 44
Human beta-defensins (hBDs) are important antimicrobial peptides that contribute to innate immunity at mucosal surfaces. This study was undertaken to investigate the expression of hBD-1 and hBD-2 in intrahepatic biliary epithelial cells in specimens of human liver, and 4 cultured cell lines (2 consisting of biliary epithelial cells and 2 cholangiocarcinoma cells). In addition, hBD-1 and hBD-2 were assayed in specimens of bile. hBD-1 was nonspecifically expressed immunohistochemically in intrahepatic biliary epithelium and hepatocytes in all patients studied, but expression of hBD-2 was restricted to large intrahepatic bile ducts in 8 of 10 patients with extrahepatic biliary obstruction (EBO), 7 of 11 with hepatolithiasis, 1 of 6 with
primary biliary cirrhosis
(
PBC
), 1 of 5 with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), 0 of 6 with chronic hepatitis C (CH-C), and 0 of 11 with normal hepatic histology. hBD-2 expression was evident in bile ducts exhibiting active inflammation. Serum C reactive protein levels correlated with biliary epithelial expression of hBD-2. Real-time PCR revealed that in all of 28 specimens of fresh liver, including specimens from patients with hepatolithiasis,
PBC
, PSC, CH-C and normal hepatic histology, hBD-1 messenger RNA was consistently expressed, whereas hBD-2 messenger RNA was selectively expressed in biliary epithelium of patients with hepatolithiasis. Immunobloting analysis revealed hBD-2 protein in bile in 1 of 3 patients with PSC, 1 of 3 with
PBC
, and each of 6 with hepatolithiasis; in contrast, hBD-1 was detectable in all bile samples examined. Four cultured biliary epithelial cell lines consistently expressed hBD-1; in contrast these cell lines did not express hBD-2 spontaneously but were induced to express hBD-2 by treatment with Eschericia coli,
lipopolysaccharide
, interleukin-1beta or tumor necrosis factor-alpha. In conclusion, these findings suggest that in the intrahepatic biliary tree, hBD-2 is expressed in response to local infection and/or active inflammation, whereas hBD-1 may constitute a preexisting component of the biliary antimicrobial defense system.
...
PMID:Peptide antibiotic human beta-defensin-1 and -2 contribute to antimicrobial defense of the intrahepatic biliary tree. 1538 27
Fractalkine is a chemokine with both chemoattractant and cell-adhesive functions, and in the intestine it is involved with its receptor CX3CR1 in the chemoattraction and recruitment of intraepithelial lymphocytes. We examined the pathophysiological roles of fractalkine and CX3CR1 in normal and diseased bile ducts. Expression of fractalkine and CX3CR1 were examined in liver tissues from patients with
primary biliary cirrhosis
(17 cases) and controls (9 cases of primary sclerosing cholangitis, 10 cases of extrahepatic biliary obstruction, 20 cases of chronic viral hepatitis C, and 18 cases of histologically normal livers). Expression of fractalkine in biliary epithelial cells (BECs) in response to cytokine treatments was examined using a human cholangiocarcinoma cell line (HuCC-T1) and human intrahepatic BEC line. The chemotaxis of CX3CR1-expressing monocytes (THP-1) toward fractalkine was assayed using chemotaxis chambers. Fractalkine messenger RNA/protein were expressed on BECs of normal and diseased bile ducts, and their expression was upregulated in injured bile ducts of
primary biliary cirrhosis
. CX3CR1 was expressed on infiltrating mononuclear cells in portal tracts and on CD3(+), CD4(+), and CD8(+) intraepithelial lymphocytes of injured bile ducts in
primary biliary cirrhosis
. Fractalkine messenger RNA expression was upregulated in two cultured BECs on treatment with
lipopolysaccharide
and Th1-cytokines (interleukin 1beta, interferon gamma, and tumor necrosis factor alpha). THP-1 cells showed chemotaxis toward fractalkine secreted by cultured cells. In conclusion, Th1-cytokine predominance and
lipopolysaccharide
in the microenvironment of injured bile ducts resulting from
primary biliary cirrhosis
induce the upregulation of fractalkine expression in BECs, followed by the chemoattraction of CX3CR1-expressing mononuclear cells, including CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells, and their adhesion to BECs and the accumulation of biliary intraepithelial lymphocytes.
...
PMID:Fractalkine and CX3CR1 are involved in the recruitment of intraepithelial lymphocytes of intrahepatic bile ducts. 1572 64
Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARgamma) is known to inhibit the production of proinflammatory cytokines. In Th1-predominant diseases, PPARgamma ligands can ameliorate clinical severity by downregulating the expression of proinflammatory cytokines.
Primary biliary cirrhosis
(
PBC
) is characterized by chronic destructive cholangitis with a Th1-predominant cytokine milieu. Unusual immune responses to infectious agents are suspected to underlie its etiopathogenesis. We examined the significance of PPARgamma in biliary inflammation in connection to
PBC
. To this end, we performed immunohistochemistry, quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) DNA-binding assays to clarify the intrahepatic distribution of PPARgamma and the regulation of PPARgamma by inflammatory cytokines and PPARgamma ligand in five cultured biliary cell lines including one derived from
PBC
liver. In liver specimens from patients with
PBC
, PPARgamma protein was ubiquitously expressed in intrahepatic biliary epithelium, whereas the expression of PPARgamma protein and mRNA was reduced in damaged bile ducts. PPARgamma expression in cultured cells was upregulated by interleukin-4 (IL-4; Th2-type), but downregulated by IFN-gamma (Th1-type). PPARgamma ligand negatively modulated
lipopolysaccharide
-induced NF-kappaB activation. Moreover, this inhibitory effect of PPARgamma ligand was attenuated by pretreatment with IFN-gamma. In conclusion, PPARgamma may be important to maintain homeostasis in the intrahepatic biliary epithelium, and its reduction in the bile ducts of
PBC
liver may be associated with the Th1-predominant milieu and with the development of chronic cholangitis in
PBC
. Immunosuppression using PPARgamma ligands may be of therapeutic benefit to attenuate biliary inflammation in
PBC
.
...
PMID:Th1 cytokine-induced downregulation of PPARgamma in human biliary cells relates to cholangitis in primary biliary cirrhosis. 1588 Apr 26
Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) is a receptor for bacterial
lipopolysaccharide
, which is suggested to be involved in the pathogenesis of disease of hepatobiliary tracts. To explore a possible role for this receptor in
primary biliary cirrhosis
(
PBC
), we investigated the expression of TLR4 in liver tissues from
PBC
patients. We studied liver biopsy sections from 62
PBC
patients and 41 patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC). Expression of TLR4 in paraffin-embedded sections was analyzed by immunohistochemistry. The bile duct epithelial cells (BECs) of
PBC
liver tissues markedly expressed TLR4, whereas BECs of CHC liver tissues barely expressed TLR4. The TLR4 expression was also observed in periportal hepatocytes of
PBC
liver tissues and its expression was extended to interlobular hepatocytes in advanced stage
PBC
. Although periportal hepatocytes of CHC liver tissues expressed TLR4, its expression levels were not correlated with the fibrosis stage. Our data demonstrated that TLR4 was expressed in BECs and periportal hepatocytes in
PBC
livers, suggesting the possible involvement of bacterial pathogens and TLR4 in the inflammatory processes of
PBC
.
...
PMID:Hepatic expression of toll-like receptor 4 in primary biliary cirrhosis. 1600 99
The role of the adaptive immune response, with regard to the development of autoantibodies, has been extensively studied in
primary biliary cirrhosis
(
PBC
). However, the importance of innate immunity has been noted only recently. Based on the proposed role of microorganisms in the pathogenesis of the disease, we hypothesize that patients with
PBC
possess a hyper-responsive innate immune system to pathogen-associated stimuli that may facilitate the loss of tolerance. To address this issue, we isolated peripheral blood monocytes from 33 patients with
PBC
and 26 age-matched healthy controls and stimulated such cells in vitro with defined ligands for toll-like receptor (TLR) 2 (lipoteichoic acid; LTA), TLR3 (polyIC), TLR4 (
lipopolysaccharide
; LPS), TLR5 (flagellin), and TLR9 (CpG-B). Supernatant fluids from the cultures were analyzed for levels of 5 different pro-inflammatory cytokines, interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL-6, IL-8, IL-12p70, and TNF-alpha. After in vitro challenge with TLR ligands,
PBC
monocytes produced higher relative levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, particularly IL-1beta, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-alpha, compared with controls. In conclusion, monocytes from patients with
PBC
appear more sensitive to signaling via select TLRs, resulting in secretion of selective pro-inflammatory cytokines integral to the inflammatory response that may be critical in the breakdown of self-tolerance.
...
PMID:Altered monocyte responses to defined TLR ligands in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis. 1617 22
The intrahepatic biliary tree is a conduit of bile which contains pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) such as
lipopolysaccharide
(
LPS
) originated from intestinal flora. Human biliary epithelial cells (BEC) express toll-like receptors (TLR) and intracellular adaptor molecules and secrete antibiotic peptides and (pro)inflammatory cytokines via the activation of nuclear transcription factors. However, although human bile contains several PAMPs in normal as well as diseased livers, PAMPs physiologically do not elicit an inflammatory response in the biliary tree, suggesting that tolerance against commensal PAMPs including
LPS
(endotoxin tolerance) is important in maintaining the homeostasis of biliary innate immunity. Negative regulators of intracellular TLR signalings, peroxisome proliferator activating receptor-gamma (PPAR-gamma) and IRAK-M, are associated with the endotoxin tolerance in BEC. In vivo, PPAR-gamma and IRAK-M are ubiquitously expressed in intrahepatic biliary epithelium, while the expression of PPAR-gamma is reduced in damaged bile ducts of
primary biliary cirrhosis
(
PBC
). In addition to antibiotic peptides, several cytokines andchemokines are also secreted from BEC as an innate immune response and these humoral components participate in attracting immunocytes and modulating peribiliary cytokine milieu. BEC have receptors for several cytokines and the expression of TLR in BEC is affected by cytokines, suggesting that biliary innate immunity is regulated by an acquired immunity. A T-helper (Th)1-type cytokine, interferon-gamma, downregulates PPAR-gamma and upregulates TLR, and consequently increases the susceptibility of biliary innate immunity. Because periductal cytokine milieu in
PBC
is Th1-dominant, the increased susceptibility to PAMPs may be associated with the development of cholangiopathy in
PBC
. Biliary innate immunity is speculated to be associated with the pathogenesis of biliary diseases as well as the defense against biliary microbial infection.
...
PMID:Biliary innate immunity and cholangiopathy. 1793 Nov 98
Hepcidin is downregulated during progressive cholestasis in biliary atresia, but the mechanism is unknown. To verify whether downregulation of hepcidin is specific to cholestasis irrespective of the patient's age, we first analyzed liver hepcidin mRNA and protein expression in adults with
primary biliary cirrhosis
(
PBC
) (n=4), non-cholestatic cirrhosis (n=19) and in controls (n=9). We evaluated the tyrosine phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (pSTAT3) expressions in the liver sections. A rat model of cholestasis by ligation of the extrahepatic bile duct (BDL) was created, and
lipopolysaccharide
(
LPS
)-induced cholangitis in cholestatic rats 2 weeks after BDL was also established to study the modulation of hepcidin by interleukin-6 (IL-6) and STAT3 signaling pathway in these models, using real-time quantitative reverse transcription-PCR, immunohistochemistry, western blotting and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). An in vitro study of the effect of bile acids on hepcidin expression was carried out to re-confirm the in vivo findings. There was significantly lower hepcidin mRNA and pSTAT3 protein expression in cholestatic cirrhosis compared with non-cholestatic cirrhosis in adults. BDL caused significant decrease in hepcidin and gp130 mRNA expression compared with sham-operated group and normal control. Furthermore, there was significantly lower pSTAT3 protein expression and nuclear translocation in the cholestatic liver from the patients and the BDL rats, which was comparable to lower liver hepcidin mRNA and plasma hepcidin expression. Furthermore, BDL for 2 weeks attenuated the upregulation of hepcidin expression induced by
LPS
. Hydrophobic bile acid glycochenodeoxycholate inhibited IL-6-induced pSTAT3 expression in primary hepatocytes and resulted in the downregulation of hepcidin mRNA expression. In conclusion, the study shows that cholestasis or its important component-hydrophobic bile acids-can downregulate hepcidin expression through inhibiting IL-6-induced STAT3 phosphorylation and pSTAT3 protein nuclear translocation.
...
PMID:Cholestasis downregulate hepcidin expression through inhibiting IL-6-induced phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 signaling. 1965 45
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