Influence of Kupffer cells and platelets on ischemia-reperfusion injury in mild steatotic liver

ER stress promotes mitochondrial calcium overload and activates the ROS/NLRP3 axis to mediate fatty liver ischemic injury

BACKGROUND

Fatty livers are widely accepted as marginal donors for liver transplantation but are more susceptible to liver ischemia and reperfusion (IR) injury. Increased macrophage-related inflammation plays an important role in the aggravation of fatty liver IR injury. Here, we investigate the precise mechanism by which endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress activates macrophage NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain-associated protein 3 (NLRP3) signaling by regulating mitochondrial calcium overload in fatty liver IR.

METHODS

Control- and high-fat diet-fed mice were subjected to a partial liver IR model. The ER stress, mitochondrial calcium levels, and NLRP3 signaling pathway in macrophages were analyzed.

RESULTS

Liver steatosis exacerbated liver inflammation and IR injury and enhanced NLRP3 activation in macrophages. Myeloid NLRP3 deficiency attenuated intrahepatic inflammation and fatty liver injury following IR. Mechanistically, increased ER stress and mitochondrial calcium overload were observed in macrophages obtained from mouse fatty livers after IR. Suppression of ER stress by tauroursodeoxycholic acid effectively downregulated mitochondrial calcium accumulation and suppressed NLRP3 activation in macrophages, leading to decreased inflammatory IR injury in fatty livers. Moreover, Xestospongin-C-mediated inhibition of mitochondrial calcium influx decreased reactive oxygen species (ROS) expression in macrophages after IR. Scavenging of mitochondrial ROS by mito-TEMPO suppressed macrophage NLRP3 activation and IR injury in fatty livers, indicating that excessive mitochondrial ROS production was responsible for macrophage NLRP3 activation induced by mitochondrial calcium overload. Patients with fatty liver also exhibited upregulated activation of NLRP3 and the ER stress signaling pathway after IR.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that ER stress promotes mitochondrial calcium overload to activate ROS/NLRP3 signaling pathways within macrophages during IR-stimulated inflammatory responses associated with fatty livers.

Targeting the Hepatic Microenvironment to Improve Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury: New Insights into the Immune and Metabolic Compartments

Hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI) is mainly characterized by high activation of immune inflammatory responses and metabolic responses. Understanding the molecular and metabolic mechanisms underlying development of hepatic IRI is critical for developing effective therapies for hepatic IRI. Recent advances in research have improved our understanding of the pathogenesis of IRI. During IRI, hepatocyte injury and inflammatory responses are mediated by crosstalk between the immune cells and metabolic components. This crosstalk can be targeted to treat or reverse hepatic IRI. Thus, a deep understanding of hepatic microenvironment, especially the immune and metabolic responses, can reveal new therapeutic opportunities for hepatic IRI. In this review, we describe important cells in the liver microenvironment (especially non-parenchymal cells) that regulate immune inflammatory responses. The role of metabolic components in the diagnosis and prevention of hepatic IRI are discussed. Furthermore, recent updated therapeutic strategies based on the hepatic microenvironment, including immune cells and metabolic components, are highlighted.

Liver ischaemia-reperfusion injury: a new understanding of the role of innate immunity

Liver ischaemia-reperfusion injury (LIRI), a local sterile inflammatory response driven by innate immunity, is one of the primary causes of early organ dysfunction and failure after liver transplantation. Cellular damage resulting from LIRI is an important risk factor not only for graft dysfunction but also for acute and even chronic rejection and exacerbates the shortage of donor organs for life-saving liver transplantation. Hepatocytes, liver sinusoidal endothelial cells and Kupffer cells, along with extrahepatic monocyte-derived macrophages, neutrophils and platelets, are all involved in LIRI. However, the mechanisms underlying the responses of these cells in the acute phase of LIRI and how these responses are orchestrated to control and resolve inflammation and achieve homeostatic tissue repair are not well understood. Technological advances allow the tracking of cells to better appreciate the role of hepatic macrophages and platelets (such as their origin and immunomodulatory and tissue-remodelling functions) and hepatic neutrophils (such as their selective recruitment, anti-inflammatory and tissue-repairing functions, and formation of extracellular traps and reverse migration) in LIRI. In this Review, we summarize the role of macrophages, platelets and neutrophils in LIRI, highlight unanswered questions, and discuss prospects for innovative therapeutic regimens against LIRI in transplant recipients.

Surgical preparation of rats and mice for intravital microscopic imaging of abdominal organs

Intravital microscopy is a powerful research tool that can provide insight into cellular and subcellular events that take place in organs in the body. However, meaningful results can only be obtained from animals whose physiology is preserved during the process of microscopy. Here I discuss the importance of preserving the overall state of health of the animal, methods of anesthesia, surgical techniques for intravital microscopy of various abdominal organs, methods to maintain and monitor the physiology of the animal during microscopy and associated peri- and post-operative recovery considerations.