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The proinflammatory phenotype of PECAM-1-deficient mice results in atherogenic diet-induced steatohepatitis. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol 2007 Dec;293(6):G1205-14

Date

10/13/2007

Pubmed ID

17932230

DOI

10.1152/ajpgi.00157.2007

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-37149007780 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   37 Citations

Abstract

The severity of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is determined by environmental and genetic factors, the latter of which are incompletely characterized. Platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (PECAM-1) is a 130-kDa transmembrane glycoprotein expressed on blood and vascular cells. In the present study, we provide data for the novel finding that genetic deficiency of PECAM-1 potentiates the development and progression of NASH. We found that the rate of development and severity of diet-induced NASH are markedly enhanced in PECAM-1-deficient [knockout (KO)] mice relative to wild-type (WT) mice, as measured by histological and biochemical evaluation. Livers from KO mice exhibited typical histological features of NASH, including macrovesicular fat accumulation, hepatocyte injury with infiltration of inflammatory cells, fibrosis, and heightened oxidative stress. Alanine aminotransferase, a marker for liver injury, was also significantly higher in KO compared with WT mice. Consistent with a role for PECAM-1 as a suppressor of proinflammatory cytokines, plasma levels of inflammatory cytokines, including TNF-alpha and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), were also significantly higher in KO compared with WT mice. These findings are the first to show that the PECAM-1-deficient mouse develops progressive nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), supporting a role for PECAM-1 as a negative regulator of NAFLD progression. Future examination of recently identified PECAM-1 allelic isoforms in humans as potential risk factors for developing NASH may be warranted.

Author List

Goel R, Boylan B, Gruman L, Newman PJ, North PE, Newman DK

Authors

Debra K. Newman PhD Investigator in the Blood Research Institute department at BloodCenter of Wisconsin
Debra K. Newman PhD Professor in the Pharmacology and Toxicology department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Paula E. North MD, PhD Professor in the Pathology department at Medical College of Wisconsin




MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Animals
Atherosclerosis
Diet, Atherogenic
Hepatitis
Immunologic Factors
Liver
Mice
Mice, Inbred C57BL
Mice, Knockout
Phenotype
Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1
Steatitis