Regular Article
Reduced Hepatotoxicity of Acetaminophen in Mice Lacking Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase: Potential Role of Tumor Necrosis Factor-α and Interleukin-10

https://doi.org/10.1006/taap.2002.9474Get rights and content

Abstract

Macrophage-derived inflammatory mediators have been implicated in tissue injury induced by a number of hepatotoxicants. In the present studies, we used transgenic mice with a targeted disruption of the gene for inducible nitric oxide synthase (NOS II) to analyze the role of nitric oxide in inflammatory mediator production in the liver and in tissue injury induced by acetaminophen. Treatment of wild-type mice with acetaminophen (300 mg/kg) resulted in centrilobular hepatic necrosis, which was evident within 3 h and reached a maximum at 18 h. This was correlated with NOS II expression and nitrotyrosine staining of the liver, which was most prominent after 6 h. Expression of mRNA for tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-10 (IL-10), matrix metalloproteinase-9, and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) also increased in the liver following acetaminophen treatment of wild-type mice. NOS II knockout mice were found to be less sensitive to the hepatotoxic effects of acetaminophen than wild-type mice. This did not appear to be due to differences in acetaminophen-induced glutathione depletion or adduct formation. In NOS II knockout mice treated with acetaminophen, hepatic expression of TNF-α, as well as CTGF, was significantly increased compared to wild-type mice. In contrast, IL-10 expression was reduced. These data demonstrate that nitric oxide is important in hepatotoxicity induced by acetaminophen. Moreover, some of its effects may be mediated by altering production of pro- and antiinflammatory cytokines and proteins important in tissue repair.

References (48)

  • P.C. Kuo et al.

    Nitric oxide decreases oxidant-mediated hepatocyte injury

    J. Surg. Res.

    (1994)
  • D.L. Laskin et al.

    Modulation of macrophage functioning abrogates the acute hepatotoxicity of acetaminophen

    Hepatology

    (1995)
  • D.L. Laskin et al.

    Potential role of activated macrophages in acetaminophen hepatotoxicity. I. Isolation and characterization of activated macrophages from rat liver

    Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol.

    (1986)
  • D.L. Laskin et al.

    Potential role of activated macrophages in acetaminophen hepatotoxicity. II. Mechanism of macrophage accumulation and activation

    Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol.

    (1986)
  • D.L. Laskin et al.

    Hepatic nitric oxide production following acute endotoxemia in rats is mediated by increased nitric oxide synthase gene expression

    Hepatology

    (1995)
  • S.S.T. Lee et al.

    Role of CYP2E1 in the hepatotoxicity of acetaminophen

    J. Biol. Chem.

    (1996)
  • S.L. Michael et al.

    Acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity in mice lacking inducible nitric oxide synthase activity

    Nitric Oxide

    (2001)
  • L.A. Morio et al.

    Distinct roles of tumor necrosis factor-α and nitric oxide in acute liver injury induced by carbon tetrachloride in mice

    Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol.

    (2001)
  • E.E. Moussad et al.

    Connective tissue growth factor: What's in a name?

    Mol. Genet. Metab.

    (2000)
  • A.K. Nussler et al.

    Nitric oxide, hepatocytes and inflammation

    Res. Immunol.

    (1995)
  • K.W. Renton et al.

    The prevention of acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity by the interferon inducer poly(rI.rC)

    Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol.

    (1984)
  • P.K. Smith et al.

    Measurement of protein using bicinchoninic acid

    Anal. Biochem.

    (1985)
  • K. Ujike et al.

    Kinetics of expression of connective tissue growth factor gene during liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy and d-galactosamine-induced liver injury in rats

    Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun.

    (2000)
  • Cited by (150)

    • rs1800796 of the IL6 gene is associated with increased risk for anti-tuberculosis drug-induced hepatotoxicity in Chinese Han children

      2018, Tuberculosis
      Citation Excerpt :

      Evidence from animal studies revealed that the overproduction of NO catalyzed by NOS2 was associated with liver injury induced by acetaminophen [45–47], prednisolone [48], ethanol [49], endotoxins [50], ischemia-reperfusion [51], and obstructive jaundice [52]. In addition, rats treated with a NOS2 inhibitor [47] and NOS2 knockout mice [45,46] had a lower risk of hepatotoxicity. Nanashima et al. found that a genetic variant of the NOS2 gene was associated with the risk of ATDH in Japanese TB patients [53].

    • Acetaminophen

      2017, Liver Pathophysiology: Therapies and Antioxidants
    View all citing articles on Scopus
    View full text