Curcumin protects mice against concanavalin A-induced hepatitis by inhibiting intrahepatic intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and CXCL10 expression

• Published in: Molecular and cellular biochemistry 2011-12, Vol.358 (1-2), p.53-60
• Main Authors: Tu, Chuan-tao, Han, Bing, Liu, Hong-chun, Zhang, Shun-cai
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adhesion; Alanine Transaminase - blood; Animals; Aspartate Aminotransferases - blood; Biochemistry; Biological response modifiers; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Body weight; Cardiology; CD4 antigen; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes - drug effects; CD8 antigen; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes - drug effects; Cell adhesion & migration; Cell Movement - drug effects; Chemokine CXCL10 - genetics; Chemokine CXCL10 - metabolism; Chemokines; Comparative analysis; Concanavalin A; Curcumin; Curcumin - pharmacology; Curcumin - therapeutic use; CXCL10 protein; Cytokines - metabolism; Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; Gene expression; Gene Expression Regulation - drug effects; Hepatitis; Hepatitis - blood; Hepatitis - drug therapy; Hepatitis - pathology; Hepatitis - prevention & control; Hepatocytes; Inflammation; Injuries; intercellular adhesion molecule 1; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 - genetics; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 - metabolism; Interferon; Interleukins; Intravenous administration; Life Sciences; Liver; Liver - drug effects; Liver - metabolism; Liver - pathology; Lymphocytes; Lymphocytes T; Male; Medical Biochemistry; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Mitogens; Molecular biology; Oncology; Plasma levels; Protective Agents - therapeutic use; RNA, Messenger - genetics; RNA, Messenger - metabolism; Rodents; T cells; Tumor necrosis factor
• ISSN: 0300-8177; 1573-4919
• DOI: 10.1007/s11010-011-0920-4

The effect of curcumin on liver injury caused by Concanavalin A (Con A) has not been carefully examined. This study was designed to evaluate the protective effect of curcumin on Con A-induced hepatitis in mice. Liver injured mice received curcumin by gavage at a dose of 200 mg/kg body weight before Con A intravenous administration. Curcumin was effective in reducing the elevated plasma levels of aminotransferases and the incidence of liver necrosis compared with Con A-injected control group. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) showed that curcumin suppressed proinflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interferon (IFN)-γ, and interleukin (IL)-4 production in Con A-injected mice. The reduced severity of hepatitis in curcumin pretreated mice correlated with decrease in numbers of liver CD4 + T cells but not CD8 + T cells by immunohistochemical analysis. Furthermore, the expression levels of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and the interferon-inducible chemokine CXCL10 in hepatic tissue were significantly decreased by curcumin pretreatment. In conclusion, curcumin pretreatment protects against T cell-mediated hepatitis in mice.