Hepatocyte mitochondrial DNA mediates macrophage immune response in liver injury induced by trichloroethylene.

We have previously shown that excessive activation of macrophage proinflammatory activity plays a key role in TCE-induced immune liver injury, but the mechanism of polarization is unclear. Recent studies have shown that TLR9 activation plays an important regulatory role in macrophage polarization. In the present study, we demonstrated that elevated levels of oxidative stress in hepatocytes mediate the release of mtDNA into the bloodstream, leading to the activation of TLR9 in macrophages to regulate macrophage polarization. In vivo experiments revealed that pretreatment with SS-31, a mitochondria-targeting antioxidant peptide, reduced the level of oxidative stress in hepatocytes, leading to a decrease in mtDNA release. Importantly, SS-31 pretreatment inhibited TLR9 activation in macrophages, suggesting that hepatocyte mtDNA may activate TLR9 in macrophages. Further studies revealed that pharmacological inhibition of TLR9 by ODN2088 partially blocked macrophage activation, suggesting that the level of macrophage activation is dependent on TLR9 activation. In vitro experiments involving the extraction of mtDNA from TCE-sensitized mice treated with RAW264.7 cells further confirmed that hepatocyte mtDNA can activate TLR9 in mouse peritoneal macrophages, leading to macrophage polarization. In summary, our study comprehensively confirmed that TLR9 activation in macrophages is dependent on mtDNA released by elevated levels of oxidative stress in hepatocytes and that TLR9 activation in macrophages plays a key role in regulating macrophage polarization. These findings reveal the mechanism of macrophage activation in TCE-induced immune liver injury and provide new perspectives and therapeutic targets for the treatment of OMDT-induced immune liver injury.

Unveiling the role of mtDNA in Liver-Kidney Crosstalk: Insights from trichloroethylene hypersensitivity syndrome.

In specific pathological conditions, addressing liver injury may yield favorable effects on renal function through the phenomenon of liver-kidney crosstalk. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) possesses the capability to trigger downstream pathways of inflammatory cytokines, ultimately leading to immune-mediated organ damage. Consequently, understanding the intricate molecular mechanisms governing mtDNA involvement in diseases characterized by liver-kidney crosstalk is of paramount significance. This study seeks to elucidate the role of mtDNA in conditions marked by liver-kidney crosstalk. In previous clinical cases, it has been observed that patients with Trichloroethylene Hypersensitivity Syndrome (TCE-HS) who experience severe liver injury often also exhibit renal injury. In this study, patients diagnosed with trichloroethylene hypersensitivity syndrome were recruited from Shenzhen Occupational Disease Control Center. And Balb/c mice were treated with trichloroethylene. The correlation between liver and kidney injuries in patients with TCE-HS was assessed using Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). Alterations in mtDNA levels were examined in mouse hepatocytes, red blood cells (RBCs), and renal tubular epithelial cells utilizing immunofluorescence and PCR techniques. TCE-sensitized mice exhibited a significant increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore in hepatocytes, resulting in the release of mtDNA. Furthermore, heightened levels of mtDNA and Toll-like Receptor 9 (TLR9) expression were observed in RBCs. Additional experiments demonstrated elevated expression of TLR9 and its downstream mediator MyD88 in renal tubule epithelial cells of TCE-sensitized mice. In vitro investigations confirmed that mtDNA activates the TLR9 pathway in TCMK-1 cells. Collectively, these results suggest that mtDNA released from mitochondrial damage in hepatocytes is carried by RBCs to renal tubular epithelial cells and mediates inflammatory injury in renal tubular epithelial cells through activation of the TLR9 receptor.