Frontiers in Immunology (Jan 2019)

SOCS2 Is Critical for the Balancing of Immune Response and Oxidate Stress Protecting Against Acetaminophen-Induced Acute Liver Injury

  • Renata Monti-Rocha,
  • Allysson Cramer,
  • Paulo Gaio Leite,
  • Maísa Mota Antunes,
  • Rafaela Vaz Sousa Pereira,
  • Andréia Barroso,
  • Celso M. Queiroz-Junior,
  • Bruna Araújo David,
  • Mauro Martins Teixeira,
  • Gustavo Batista Menezes,
  • Fabiana Simão Machado

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2018.03134
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 9

Abstract

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Acetaminophen (APAP) is usually safe when administrated in therapeutic doses; however, APAP overdose can lead to severe liver injury. APAP can cause direct hepatocyte damage, and stimulates an inflammatory response leading to oxidative stress. Supressor of Cytokine Signaling (SOCS) 2 modulates cytokine and growth factor signaling, and plays a role in the regulation of hepatic cellular processes. Our study evaluated the role of SOCS2 in APAP liver injury. The administration of a toxic dose (600 mg/kg) of APAP caused significant liver necrosis in WT mice. In SOCS2−/− mice, there was significantly more necrosis, neutrophil recruitment, and expression of the neutrophil-active chemokine CXCL-1. Expression of proinflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-α and IL-6, was elevated, while expression of anti-inflammatory cytokines, IL-10 and TGF-β, was diminished. In vitro, SOCS2−/− hepatocytes expressed more p-NF-kB and produced more ROS than WT hepatocytes when exposed to APAP. SOCS2−/− hepatocytes were more sensitive to cell death in the presence of IL-6 and hydrogen peroxide. The administration of catalase in vitro and in vivo resulted in a pronounced reduction of cells/mice death and necrosis in the SOCS2−/− group. We have demonstrated that SOCS2 has a protective role in the liver by controlling pro-oxidative and inflammatory mechanisms induced by APAP.

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