Adiponectin deficiency exacerbates lipopolysaccharide/D-galactosamine-induced liver injury in mice

AIM: To examine the effects of adiponectin on the functions of Kupffer cells, key modulators of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) -induced liver injury. METHODS: D-galactosamine (GalN) and LPS were injected intraperitoneally into adiponectin-/- mice and wild type mice. Kupffer cells, isolated from Sprague-Dawley rats, were preincubated with or without adiponectin, and then treated with LPS. RESULTS: In knockout mice, GalN/LPS injection significantly lowered the survival rate, significantly raised the plasma levels of alanine transaminase and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and significantly reduced IL-10 levels compared with wild type mice. TNF-alpha gene expression in the liver was which higher and those of IL-10 were lower in knockout mice than in wild type mice. In cultured adiponectin-pre-treated Kupffer cells, LPS significantly lowered TNF-alpha levels and raised IL-10 levels in the culture media and their respective gene expression levels, compared with Kupffer cells without adiponectin-pre-treatment. CONCLUSION: Adiponectin supresses TNF-alpha production and induces IL-10 production by Kupffer cells in response to LPS stimulation, and a lack of adiponectin enhances LPS-induced liver injury.