Abstract:
Objective To investigate the relationship between immune tolerance and the changes of helper T cell (Th), regulatory T cell (Treg) cytokines, related signaling pathway proteins during immune tolerance process in rat models of liver transplantation.
Methods The orthotopic liver transplantation rat models were established by double-cuff technique. All rats were divided into 3 groups. In the operative control group (n=6), sham operation was performed without liver transplantation. In the short-term group (n=10), the rats survived for 10 d after liver transplantation. In the immune tolerance group (n=10), the rats survived for 100 d after operation and the function of the transplanted liver was restored to normal. The expression levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), Th1 cytokines interferon (IFN)-γ, interleukin (IL)-2 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, Th2 cytokines (IL-4, IL-5, IL-6 and IL-13), Th17 cytokines granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and IL-17A, Treg cytokines IL-10, transforming growth factor (TGF)-β and IL-12p were quantitatively measured. The serum sample of rats in each group was detected by protein chip analysis.
Results Compared with the operative control group, the AST level in the short-term group was significantly down-regulated, whereas the ALT level was significantly up-regulated (both P < 0.05). However, the AST and ALT levels did not significantly differ between the immune tolerance group and operative control group (both P > 0.05). In the liver tissues of rats in each group, the expression levels of Th1 cytokines IFN-γ and IL-2 in the short-term group were significantly higher than those in the operative control group (both P < 0.05). The expression level of Th2 cytokine IL-4 in the immune tolerance group was significantly lower than that in the operative control group (P < 0.05). The expression levels of Th2 cytokines IL-5, IL-6 and IL-13 in the short-term group were significantly lower than those in the operative control group (all P < 0.05). The expression level of IL-17A in the immune tolerance group was significantly higher than that in the operative control group (P < 0.05). In the immune tolerance group, the expression levels of IL-10and IL-12p were significantly higher than those in the operative control group (both P < 0.05). The expression level of TGF-β in the short-term group was significantly higher than that in the operative control group (P < 0.05). Compared with the operative control group, the expression levels of intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1, pro-platelet basic protein (Ppbp), Neuropilin-2, Notch-2 protein in the short-term group were significantly up-regulated (all P < 0.05). The expression levels of CXC chemokine ligand 17 (CXCL17), ICAM-1 and Neuroleptin-2 protein were markedly up-regulated (all P < 0.05), whereas that of B7-1 protein was significantly down-regulated (P < 0.05) in the immune tolerance group.
Conclusions Treg cytokines (IL-10, TGF-β and IL-12p), IL-6, IL-17 and trans-membrane signaling pathway molecules (ICAM-1, Neuropilin-2, B7-1 proteins) play a pivotal role in the natural immune tolerance process of rat models of liver transplantation.