Expression of IL-23 and IL-17 in immune injury of the liver of mice sensitized by trichloroethylene and aggravated by Poly I:C / 中国职业医学

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To observe the expression of interleukin(IL)-23 and IL-17 in the liver of mice sensitized by trichloroethylene(TCE), and to explore the role of IL-23 and IL-17 in polyinosinic: polycytidylic acid(Poly I:C) exacerbated TCE-sensitized mice with immune injury of the liver. METHODS: Female specific pathogens free BALB/c mice were randomly divided into control group(n=5), solvent control group(n=5), TCE group(n=20), and TCE+Poly I:C group(n=20). A TCE-sensitized mouse model was established in TCE group and TCE+Poly I:C group. Three hours before the last challenge, mice in TCE+Poly I:C group was intraperitoneally injected with a mass concentration of 0.5 g/L poly I:C, 100 μL per mouse. The two groups of mice were divided into sensitized and non-sensitized subgroups according to the results of skin sensitization. After 48 hours of the final challenge, serum alanine aminotransferase(ALT) was detected by colorimetric method. The histopathological changes of mouse liver were observed, and the expression of IL-23 and IL-17 in liver tissues was detected by immunohistochemistry and Western blotting method. RESULTS: The sensitization rates of TCE and TCE+Poly I:C groups were 35.0%(7/20) and 40.0%(8/20) respectively, with no significantly statistical difference(P>0.05). Pathological examination showed that there was cell edema in some areas of the liver tissues of mice in the TCE-sensitized subgroup, while the TCE+Poly I:C sensitized subgroup showed cell vacuolar degeneration and loose cytoplasm. Serum ALT activity and the expression of IL-23 and IL-17 in liver tissues in the TCE-sensitized subgroup were higher than that in the blank control group, the solvent control group and the TCE non-sensitized subgroup(P<0.05). Serum ALT activity and IL-23 and IL-17 expression in the TCE+Poly I:C sensitized subgroup were higher than that in the TCE-sensitized subgroup(P<0.05). The relative expression of IL-23 and IL-17 protein in liver tissues in TCE-sensitized subgroup was higher than that of the blank control group and the solvent control group(P<0.05), while that in TCE+Poly I:C sensitized subgroup was higher than that of TCE-sensitized subgroup(P<0.05). CONCLUSION: IL-23/IL-17 axis may play an important role in the development of immune injury of liver in the TCE-sensitized mice and Poly I:C exacerbated TCE-sensitized mice.