Roles of HMGB1 on life-threatening traumatic brain injury and sequential peripheral organ damage.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) has been found to be associated with certain peripheral organ injuries; however, a few studies have explored the chronological influences of TBI on multiple organs and the systemic effects of therapeutic interventions. Particularly, high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) is a potential therapeutic target for TBI; however, its effects on peripheral organs remain unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to determine whether severe TBI can lead to multiple organ injury and how HMGB1 inhibition affects peripheral organs. This study used a weight drop-induced TBI mouse model and found that severe TBI can trigger short-lived systemic inflammation, in the lungs and liver, but not in the kidneys, regardless of the severity of the injury. TBI led to an increase in circulating HMGB1 and enhanced gene expressions of its receptors in every organ. Anti-HMGB1 antibody treatment reduced neuroinflammation but increased inflammation in peripheral organs. This study also found that HMGB1 inhibition appears to have a beneficial role in early neuroinflammation but could lead to detrimental effects on peripheral organs through decreased peripheral immune suppression. This study provides novel insights into the chronological changes in multiple organs due to TBI and the unique roles of HMGB1 between the brain and other organs.

Fatal cardiac dysfunction in a child with Williams syndrome.

Williams syndrome (WS) is a rare genetic disorder caused by a microdeletion of chromosome 7q11.23. Although the mortality rate of patients with WS is not very high, sudden cardiac death can occur, particularly in cases complicated by coronary artery stenosis. A 3-month-old female infant with supravalvular aortic stenosis and peripheral pulmonary stenosis was discovered unconscious in bed by her mother. She was immediately transferred to an emergency hospital but succumbed despite multiple attempts as resuscitation. DNA microarray analysis revealed microdeletions of 7q11.23 and 16p11.2, confirming WS and unexpectedly identifying 16p11.2 deletion syndrome which is known to be associated with neurodevelopmental disorders. Postmortem computed tomography revealed a severely enlarged heart, indicative of cardiac dysfunction. External examination revealed moderate-to-severe developmental delays in height and body weight. The heart, on internal examination, revealed whitish-discolored lesions; histologically severe fibrotic changes and thickening of the intima in the coronary arteries and aorta. In the brain, the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus appeared malformed. Taken together, these findings suggest that the cause of death was cardiac dysfunction due to WS. In addition, it could be possible that 16p11.2 deletion syndrome and dentate gyrus malformation contributed to her death. Future autopsy studies are warranted to clarify the precise role of microdeletion disorders in sudden death to reduce future preventable deaths in children.

Late-onset non-obstructive mesenteric ischemia (NOMI) resulting from delayed absorption of overdosed antihypertensive drugs: An autopsy case report.

Non-obstructive mesenteric ischemia (NOMI) is caused by reduced blood flow to the intestines without physical occlusion in the mesenteric artery. Previous reports show that drug overdose occasionally induces late-onset NOMI; however, in most cases, the reason for the delayed onset is unclear. Here, we present an autopsy case of late-onset NOMI that was induced by a drug overdose. An 80-year-old man was admitted to the intensive care unit because of severe hypotension after an overdose of antihypertensive drugs. He received vasopressor therapy and continuous hemodiafiltration dialysis; however, gastrointestinal decontamination was not performed. He began to recover but developed acute mesenteric ischemia on the evening of day 4 and died on day 5. Autopsy showed discontinuous submucosal bleeding from the duodenum to the colon; there was no thrombus in the mesenteric artery, which led to a diagnosis of NOMI. In the stomach, there was 250 mL of reddish-brown fluid with a muddy brown substance. Histologic examination revealed ischemic necrosis in the small intestine. Quantitative analysis of serum collected during hospitalization revealed that nifedipine and cilostazol levels had peaked on day 3 of hospitalization. The formulation of nifedipine was a controlled-release tablet, and the low water solubility of cilostazol may have caused the tablets to adhere and remain in the stomach. Therefore, the drugs had been released into the blood stream several days after hospitalization, leading to delayed-onset NOMI. In cases of overdose, it is crucial to consider the formulation and properties of the involved drugs when determining medical treatment.

Correlations between blood volatile hydrocarbon concentrations in different types of fire-related deaths.

Analysis of volatile hydrocarbons in blood from fire-related deaths provides useful information such as whether the victim inhaled smoke from the fire before death or whether an accelerant was used in the fire. In this study, we used headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to quantify volatile hydrocarbons in post-mortem heart blood from 121 fire victims. The cases were classified into the following four groups according to the detected volatile hydrocarbons: construction fires without accelerants, kerosene fires, gasoline fires, and a group with no fire-related hydrocarbons detected (other fires). We investigated the relationships between blood concentrations of carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) and volatile hydrocarbons, and between various volatile hydrocarbons. The mean COHb concentrations were higher in the construction fire group than in the kerosene and gasoline fire groups. In the construction fire group, there was a high correlation coefficient between the concentrations of benzene and COHb and relatively high coefficient correlations between the concentrations of benzene and toluene, benzene and xylene, toluene and styrene, and ethylbenzene and styrene. Our results indicate that the relationships between benzene, xylene, and toluene concentrations could be used to distinguish between deaths in construction fires, kerosene fires, and gasoline fires.

High blood mirtazapine concentration in a newborn - A case of suspected postpartum infanticide.

We report a sudden death of an infant due to mirtazapine poisoning. A 15-day-old newborn boy was found dead when he was sleeping beside his mother who had suffered from panic disorder for approximately 1 year. After giving birth, she complained of palpitations and shaky hands, and was prescribed mirtazapine. The deceased newborn weighed 3,282 g and his height was 55 cm. There were no autopsy findings related to the death. The mirtazapine concentration as quantitated by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis was 620 ng/mL in right heart blood, and was approximately 10 times higher than the therapeutic level in adults. Because transfer of mirtazapine into breast milk is low, mirtazapine was likely administered intentionally to the newborn. Based on the newborn's immature renal, liver, and blood-brain barrier function, the cause of death was attributed to mirtazapine poisoning. Poison-related homicide in the infant is rare. We report the first case of intentional mirtazapine poisoning case in a newborn.

Effects of arterial hemorrhage speed on the blood coagulation/fibrinolysis system and hemodynamics in rats.

: The effects of rapid hemorrhage on coagulopathy have been reported. However, the effects of different hemorrhage speeds on the blood coagulation/fibrinolysis system have not been investigated. This study aimed to compare different hemorrhage speeds for clarifying their effects on the coagulation/fibrinolysis system and circulation disorders in rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats (301-396 g) were randomly assigned to five groups depending on hemorrhage speed and length of procedure: first, rapid (1.4 ml/min, 30-min bleeding); second, rapid-L (1.4 ml/min, 30-min bleeding and observation until 6 h); third, slow (0.1 ml/min, intermittently, 6-h bleeding); fourth, control (30-min observation); and fifth, control-L (6-h observation). Hemorrhage was induced by withdrawing blood until 40% of the estimated blood volume from the femoral artery. We measured vital signs, hematology, general chemistry, blood gas status, coagulation parameters, fibrinolytic markers [tissue-type plasminogen activator and plasminogen activator inhibitor one (PAI-1)], vascular endothelial damage (syndecan-1), and liver PAI-1 mRNA expression. Rapid hemorrhage induced elevation of lactate and syndecan-1 levels and prolonged prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time in the rapid group. In contrast, slow hemorrhage did not induce these changes. Hemorrhage speed had no effect on plasma tissue-type plasminogen activator and hematology. Plasma PAI-1 levels were significantly increased in the rapid-L group, while liver PAI-1 mRNA levels were increased in the slow group. This study shows changes in the circulatory and fibrinolysis systems, depending on the hemorrhage speed. Hemorrhage might promote production of PAI-1, while tissue hypoxia due to rapid hemorrhage might promote release of PAI-1.

Cerebrospinal fluid neurotransmitter levels and central nervous system depression in a rat drug overdose model.

A neuropsychiatric drug overdose impairs physiological function via central nervous system (CNS) depression. In drug-related deaths, only the drug concentration can currently provide information regarding CNS depression in victims. In this study, using a drug overdose model, we investigated the ability of neurotransmitters in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to serve as biomarkers for CNS depression. Four groups of rats were orally administered diazepam (200 mg/kg) and/or phenobarbital (100 mg/kg) or vehicle. In a hot plate test performed to assess physiological impairment, drug-administered animals showed prolongation of the response latency. Serum drug concentrations were also sufficient to observe the effect of drug overdose. The levels of benzoyl-derivatized neurotransmitters were measured using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis. Noradrenaline, adrenaline, serotonin, melatonin, phosphoethanolamine, and histamine levels in the CSF decreased as the response latencies in the hot plate test increased. These reduced CSF neurotransmitter levels may represent physiological dysfunction through CNS depression.

Development of a fluvoxamine detection system using a Quenchbody, a novel fluorescent biosensor.

The misuse of psychotropic drugs intended for medical treatment represents a recent worldwide public health concern. Quenchbody (Q-body) is a novel fluoroimmunosensor that can detect an antigen immediately without additional reagents or washing steps. Here, we describe creating Q-bodies for the detection of the antidepressant fluvoxamine (FLV) and determining optimal conditions to achieve the highest fluorescence intensity (FI). We prepared five Q-bodies with the fluorophore labeled at either the N- or C- terminus and with different linker lengths. Fluorescence was measurable within minutes, indicating the interaction of Q-bodies with FLV. The normalized FI (FI ratio) of the N-terminus labeled Q-body increased approximately 1.5-fold upon FLV addition; Q-bodies labeled at the C-terminus did not significantly increase FI. Among the fluorescence dyes used in this study, Rhodamine 6G labeled Q-body showed the best FI ratio. EC50 values of the N-terminus labeled Q-bodies were similar (23.2-224nM) regardless of linker length or labeling dye. We examined whether the Q-body could be applicable to serum matrix instead of phosphate-buffered saline. The intact serum interfered strongly with the Q-body fluorescence. However, the FI ratios of the Q-body for FLV-spiked serum filtrate, for which proteins were removed by filtration, showed a dose-dependency for detecting FLV levels. Deproteinization, which does not interfere with Q-body fluorescence measurements, is likely necessary to detect serum FLV with high sensitivity. This study demonstrates the potential of Q-body probes as a tool towards developing creative immunoassay applications.

Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry detection of benzalkonium chloride (BZK) in a forensic autopsy case with survival for 18 days post BZK ingestion.

We report a forensic autopsy case of an elderly man who ingested unknown amount of germicidal disinfectant containing 50% benzalkonium chloride (BZK). He survived for 18 days after BZK ingestion and then died because of pneumonia. A liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was used to detect three BZK compounds (C12-BZK, C14-BZK and C16-BZK) in the blood. Extraction of BZK was carried out according to a modified QuEChERS method. Chromatographic separation was achieved on an ODS column and detection was performed in selected reaction monitoring mode. The accuracy and the precision were acceptable for quantitative analysis in the concentration range of 10-200 ng/mL for the three BZK compounds. BZK was detected in heart and femoral vein blood samples even 18 days after BZK ingestion. Taking into consideration clinical information during 18 days hospitalization and the autopsy findings, the cause of death was attributed to BZK poisoning. Several toxico-kinetic factors regarding absorption and excretion of BZK in the body were also discussed to elucidate the detection of BZK such a long time after ingestion.

A Soup Service for Advanced Digestive Cancer Patients with Severe Anorexia in Palliative Care.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The palliative care team (PCT), nutrition support team (NST), and department of nutrition in our hospital developed a special soup service for patients with terminal cancer. We evaluated the usefulness of this soup service for improving the mood in patients with advanced digestive cancer with severe anorexia. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical data of 18 patients with advanced cancer originating in digestive organs who received soup service at our institution between 2015 and 2016. Members of the PCT, NST, and a licensed cook visited the bedside of each patient and served them a cup of soup twice a week. RESULTS: Fifteen patients (83%) were able to taste the soup with no adverse events, and 11 (73%) of them enjoyed the taste of the soup. In the five patients who died in our hospital during the service, the time between their last soup intake and death ranged from two to seven days (median three days). CONCLUSION: Even terminally ill patients suffering from advanced digestive cancer with severe anorexia were able to enjoy the taste of the soup served to them. The establishment of special meal service, such as this soup service, may not only relieve their stress but also support the strength of living and help improve their spiritual quality of life.

Postmortem computed tomography findings in cases of bath-related death: Applicability and limitation in forensic practice.

PURPOSE: Bath-related deaths occur frequently in Japan, and many of these deaths are diagnosed as death from disease without autopsy in the current Japanese death-investigation system. Therefore, we aimed to examine the postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) findings of bath-related deaths to determine if PMCT can differentiate between real cases of drowning and sudden deaths not related to drowning. METHODS: Bath-related deaths were sampled from all autopsies conducted at the Tokyo Medical Examiner's Office from September 2015 to August 2016. A total of 90 bath-related deaths (77 drowning cases and 13 non-drowning cases) and 50 controls (sudden cardiac deaths non-related to bathing) were included in this study. We investigated factors contributing to drowning and measured PMCT parameters (presence/density of fluid in the maxillary sinus/trachea, distance between the lungs, lung patterns [ground glass opacities, consolidation], position of the right diaphragmatic dome, density in the right atrium, stomach volume, and density of the gastric/duodenal contents). RESULTS: The analysis of the factors contributing to drowning showed that alcohol intoxication was the most frequent (n=25), followed by cardiac pathology (n=22), and psychotropic drug intoxication (n=6). Radiological evaluation showed that measurements of all parameters differed significantly between the drowning group and the controls. In addition, significant differences were observed between drowning and non-drowning cases in three radiological parameters (i.e., distance between lungs, stomach volume, and density of gastric contents). CONCLUSIONS: Majority of bath-related deaths in this study showed signs of drowning at autopsy, and we observed a range of factors that contributed to drowning. By using several radiological parameters (e.g., the distance between the lungs, stomach volume, and the density of the gastric contents), PMCT for the investigation of bath-related deaths might indicate that drowning as opposed to other factors unrelated to drowning (e.g., sudden cardiac death) was the cause of death. This might allow for calculation of accurate mortality statistics on bath-related deaths.

A fatal poisoning case by intravenous injection of "bath salts" containing acetyl fentanyl and 4-methoxy PV8.

A man in his 30's was found at home, not breathing. He was admitted to an emergency hospital and the doctor confirmed his death. He had a history of methamphetamine abuse spanning several years, and while fresh needle marks were visible on his arm, the only other autopsy findings indicated an acute death. A small plastic bag containing a pale brown white powder, and a small amount of liquid in a syringe were found at the scene. The police forensic laboratory detected acetyl fentanyl and 4-methoxy PV8 (4-methoxy PHPP) in both the powder and the liquid. Scan analysis by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) identified acetyl fentanyl and 4-methoxy PV8 in the urine sample. Both drugs were quantitated simultaneously by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), using the selected reaction monitoring method. The concentration of acetyl fentanyl in the femoral vein blood, urine, and gastric contents were 153, 240, and 880ng/mL respectively, and the concentration of 4-methoxy PV8 in the femoral vein blood, urine, and gastric contents were 389, 245, and 500ng/mL respectively. Cause of death was attributed to acute poisoning by "bath salts" containing acetyl fentanyl and 4-methoxy PV8. Evidence indicated that self-administered intravenous injection was the most likely scenario, and that the deceased had been a habitual user of the "bath salt" drug for some time. Drugs detected in the gastric contents could be explained by the gastric secretion of basic drugs, or drug-containing bile entering the gastric contents.

Quantitative determination of n-butane metabolites in three cases of butane sniffing death.

Butane is an addictive volatile substance like toluene. We report three forensic autopsy cases of sudden death that occurred while sniffing n-butane and isobutane from portable gas cartridges. n-Butane and isobutane were detected in all three cases. In cases 1-3, n-butane concentrations in heart blood were 54.3, 25.5, and 30.7µg/mL, respectively. These concentrations were considered fatal according to the previous reports. In addition, n-butane metabolites (2-butanol and 2-butanone) were detected in cases 1 and 3 but not in case 2. Blood levels of 2-butanol and 2-butanone were 6.5 and 1.8µg/mL, respectively, in case 1, and 6.3 and 5.6µg/mL, respectively, in case 3. According to the police investigation, the decedent in case 1 had misused butane gas for more than 6 months in the period leading up to death. The decedent in case 3 also had a history of chronic misuse of butane gas. There was no history of chronic misuse of butane gas by the decedent in case 2. It was suspected that he attempted suicide via inhalation of butane gas using a plastic bag, leading to a rapid death. The presence or absence of n-butane metabolites might reflect the way of butane inhalation, such as the frequency and duration. Although additional experimental and case studies are necessary to establish the forensic applications of n-butane metabolite detection, it may be a useful method to understand the decedents' pattern of butane sniffing before death.

Postmortem serum tenascin-C (TN-C) concentrations in forensic autopsy cases: A pilot study.

In forensic investigations, autopsy findings offer major clues for the diagnosis of the cause of death. Thus, various clinical biochemical markers are now being tested to complement conventional investigation in the field of forensic medicine. In this study, we focused on tenascin-C (TN-C), a glycoprotein present in the extracellular matrix and expressed in pathological states. We reviewed autopsy cases for a 4-year period (2006-2009) using autopsy records, and analyzed the blood serum concentrations of TN-C and C-reactive protein (CRP) in these cases (N=101). The TN-C levels were relatively higher in the postmortem serum samples than in the samples from healthy individuals, and in cases of head injury, both TN-C and CRP levels were high in the postmortem serum sample. Moreover, high TN-C levels were observed particularly in cases with a long survival period. These findings indicate that postmortem serum TN-C levels may represent a useful tool for identifying the cause of specific fatal traumas.

Expression of aquaporin-4 augments cytotoxic brain edema after traumatic brain injury during acute ethanol exposure.

We previously reported that ethanol consumption affects morbidity and mortality after traumatic brain injury (TBI) by accelerating brain edema via oxidative stress after TBI. Aquaporin-4 (AQP4), a water channel, is involved in brain edema formation. In this study, we found that acute ethanol administration increased AQP4 expression after TBI, leading to severe brain edema in rats. Rats were pretreated with ethanol (3 g/kg) or dl-buthionine-(S,R)-sulfoximine (BSO; 100 mg/kg), an oxidative stressor, before TBI. Acetazolamide, an AQP4 inhibitor, was administered to ethanol-pretreated rats 3 or 12 hours after TBI. Brain edema was increased 24 hours after TBI in both the ethanol- and BSO-pretreated groups. Ethanol pretreatment induced lipid peroxidation 24 hours after TBI. Transcription factors, NF-κB and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α, were activated 3 and 24 hours after TBI in the BSO- and ethanol-pretreated groups, respectively. In the ethanol-pretreated group, AQP4 was accumulated, particularly in astrocyte end feet, 24 hours after TBI. Acetazolamide treatment improved the survival rate to 100% and decreased brain edema and AQP4 in ethanol-pretreated rats. These findings suggest that ethanol induces up-regulation of AQP4, leading to brain edema. The accumulation of AQP4 may play an important role in the augmentation of brain edema after TBI under ethanol consumption.

Quantitative evaluation of volatile hydrocarbons in post-mortem blood in forensic autopsy cases of fire-related deaths.

Volatile hydrocarbons in post-mortem blood from victims of fires were analyzed quantitatively by headspace gas chromatography mass spectrometry. The benzene and styrene concentrations in the blood were positively correlated with the carboxyhemoglobin (CO-Hb) concentration, which is evidence that the deceased inhaled the hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide simultaneously. By contrast, the concentrations of toluene and CO-Hb in the blood were not significantly correlated. This lack of correlation could be explained by two different sources of toluene, with low blood concentrations of toluene arising when the deceased inhaled smoke and high blood concentrations of toluene arising when the deceased inhaled petroleum vapor or other unknown vapors. The quantity of soot deposited in the respiratory tract was classified into four grades (-, 1+, 2+, 3+). The mean CO-Hb concentration in the 1+ soot group was significantly lower than those in the 2+ (p<0.05) and 3+ (p<0.01) soot groups. The blood CO-Hb concentrations in the 1+ soot group were all below 30%. Those indicated that the deceased aspirated smoke that contained both soot and carbon monoxide. The wide variation in CO-Hb concentrations for each soot classification could be caused by the different types of smoke produced by different materials. For example, petroleum combustion with a limited supply of oxygen, like in a compartment fire, may produce a large volume of dense black smoke that contains a large quantity of soot. Soot deposits in the airways and the blood CO-Hb concentration are basic and essential autopsy findings that are used to investigate fire-related deaths. The quantitative GC-MS analysis of blood volatile hydrocarbons can provide additional useful information on the cause of the fire and the circumstances surrounding the death. In combination, these three findings are useful for the reconstruction of cases.

Prior ethanol injection promotes brain edema after traumatic brain injury.

Alcohol consumption prior to traumatic brain injury (TBI) promotes morbidity and mortality although the mechanisms involved remain unclear. The morbidity and mortality caused by TBI, especially brain contusion, are known to be closely associated with brain edema. Here we examined the effects of ethanol pretreatment on brain edema, inflammatory responses, and oxidative stress after brain contusion. Male Wistar rats were given 3 g/kg ethanol intraperitoneally and 1 h later were subjected to brain contusion. The ethanol-pretreated group had a significantly decreased survival rate. Magnetic resonance imaging showed ethanol pretreatment significantly augmented the volume of cytotoxic brain edema after contusion. In the ethanol-pretreated rat, the activities of NF-kappaB and AP-1 were reduced 6 h after contusion and COX-2 mRNA expression was increased 24 h after contusion. These findings suggest that ethanol augmented cerebral edema and mortality in rats with brain contusion, possibly through actions on cell survival pathways or COX-2 expression. In addition, antioxidant treatment at 3 h post-injury significantly attenuated some markers of oxidative stress, mortality, and volume of edema at 24 h after ethanol treatment and contusion.

The discrepant severity of external and internal injuries in a traffic accident: The cushioning effect via a human body against direct impact: Autopsy cases.

Traffic accidents cause unexpectedly severe injuries of internal organs despite tiny injuries observed on the external body. A 51-year-old woman (subject 1) and a 54-year-old man (subject 2) were found dead on a road. Subject 1 had subcutaneous and intramuscular bleeding with décollement on the posterior aspect of her body, including upper cervical spine dislocation. Subject 2 did not exhibit any apparent findings on autopsy that were indicative of a direct injury by a motor vehicle, but had severe internal organ injuries, including the transection at the pontomedullary junction. We surmise that subjects 1 and 2 were walking in line with the vehicle which collided with them from behind, and then the body of subject 1 cushioned the direct impact of the vehicle against subject 2. This report illustrates the need of forensic autopsy for victims with no severe external injuries.

Ethanol-induced JNK activation suppressed via active Akt in hepatocytes.

Ethanol induces c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) activation leading to cell death in hepatocytes. However, acute alcohol exposure does not induce remarked cell death in hepatocytes. We hypothesized that active Akt may suppress JNK activation. To clarify this point, we evaluated the role of active Akt in JNK activation under treatment with hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and compared it with ethanol treatment. Primary rat hepatocytes were treated with 10 ng/ml HGF. 10 min after that, 5 microM insulin, an activator of the Akt pathway, and/or 5 microM LY294002, an inhibitor of the pathway, were added. Hepatocytes were treated with 100 mM ethanol and LY294002. HGF treatment increased JNK activities in hepatocytes. This JNK activation was accumulated by addition of LY294002. These finding suggest that active Akt suppresses JNK activation induced by HGF. On the other hand, addition of insulin did not decrease the JNK activity, showing that insulin-induced Akt activation may rather increase JNK activity. Ethanol also induced JNK activation and this JNK activation was enhanced by LY294002 similar to HGF treatment. We found that active Akt suppressed JNK activation induced by ethanol as well as HGF in hepatocytes. JNK activation may be suppressed by prolonged active Akt or basal active Akt, rather than peaked activation of Akt induced by insulin stimulation. Our results suggest that the suppression of JNK by active Akt may prevent cell death in acute alcohol intoxication.

Saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids increase interleukin-10 production in rat hepatocytes.

Interleukin-10 (IL-10) is a potent anti-inflammatory cytokine, but it still remains unknown whether saturated or unsaturated fatty acid affects IL-10 production in hepatocytes that contribute to lipid metabolism. Primary rat hepatocyte cultures were treated with different fatty acids (18:0 stearic acid, 18:1 oleic acid; 18:2 linoleic acid, 18:3 linolenic acid) at 300 microM for 24 hours. The concentrations of IL-2, IL-10, GM-CSF and IFN-gamma in the medium were detected by multiplex cytokine array. IL-10 was significantly increased with treatment of stearic acid and oleic acid. Production of IL-10 by saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids in hepatocytes may be one of the reasons why the lard oil had less inflammation in the hepatic steatosis animal models.