Induction of MIP-1alpha in Kupffer cell by portal venous transfusion.
Previous studies have shown that portal venous transfusion (PVT) induces a state of immunosuppression, and Kupffer cells may be involved in the mechanism. This study was aimed to investigate the effect of PVT on Kupffer cell gene expression. Each BALB/C mouse was subjected to laparotomy and received one of five treatments: PVT, portal venous saline injection (PVS), inferior vena caval transfusion (IVCT), inferior vena caval saline injection (IVCS) or sham operation (S). The blood for PVT and IVCT was sampled from C57BL/6J mice. Kupffer cells were then isolated 1 or 24 h after each of the 5 treatments, for a total of 10 experimental groups (1-h PVT, PVS, IVCT, IVCS and S, and 24-h PVT, PVS, IVCT, IVCS and S) from BALB/C mice. To examine the effect of PVT on Kupffer cell gene expression, RT-PCR differential display was performed. Increase in the expression of MIP-1alpha mRNA post PVT and IVCT was identified by differential display. PVT groups revealed higher levels of serum MIP-1alpha than any other groups. These results suggest that MIP-1alpha may be involved in a cascade of signaling events associated with the PVT-mediated immunologic modulation in Kupffer cells.