The LPS/D-Galactosamine-Induced Fulminant Hepatitis Model to Assess the Role of Ligand-Activated Nuclear Receptors on the NLRP3 Inflammasome Pathway In Vivo

Mar 3, 2019Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)

Using a Liver Failure Model to Study How Activated Nuclear Receptors Affect the NLRP3 Inflammasome Pathway in Living Organisms

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Abstract

Low doses of LPS combined with D-galactosamine induce liver injury in mice, increasing NLRP3 protein and caspase 1 activity.

NLRP3 inflammasome activation is linked to various diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis and diabetes.
Ligand-activated nuclear receptors may regulate the NLRP3 inflammasome pathway.
Fulminant hepatitis in mice mimics human clinical features, driven by massive liver cell death and inflammation.
Increased levels of inflammatory cytokines are associated with the liver injury caused by the LPS and D-GalN combination.
A method for studying the role of nuclear receptors in NLRP3-driven fulminant hepatitis involves isolating liver macrophages and analyzing RNA.

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The NLRP3 inflammasome is a cellular sensor of danger signals such as extracellular ATP or abnormally accumulating molecules like crystals. Activation of NLRP3 by such compounds triggers a sterile inflammatory response that may be involved in numerous pathologies including rheumatoid arthritis, atherosclerosis, diabetes, and Alzheimer's disease. A better understanding of the mechanisms that govern NLRP3 inflammasome activation is an important step toward the development of novel therapeutic strategies to dampen over-activation of the immune system. Recent findings demonstrate that ligand-activated nuclear receptors regulate the NLRP3 inflammasome pathway, thus representing possible therapeutic targets. It is therefore important to assess the potential of these putative targets in the regulation of the NLRP3 inflammasome activation in the most appropriate pathophysiological models. Fulminant hepatitis (FH) results from massive hepatocyte apoptosis, hemorrhagic necrosis, and inflammation. Low doses of LPS in combination with the specific hepatotoxic agent D-galactosamine (D-GalN) promote liver injury in mice and induce the production of inflammatory cytokines associated with increased NLRP3 protein and caspase 1 activity, thus recapitulating the clinical picture of FH in humans. We provide a simple method to examine the involvement of nuclear receptors in NLRP3-driven fulminant hepatitis, consisting in the induction of FH, in the isolation of liver macrophages, and in the extraction and analysis of RNA content.

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The LPS/D-Galactosamine-Induced Fulminant Hepatitis Model to Assess the Role of Ligand-Activated Nuclear Receptors on the NLRP3 Inflammasome Pathway In Vivo

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