Decreased Iga Plus Plasma Cells And Iga Expression In Acute Liver Necrosis Mice

AIM: To investigate the number of intestinal immunoglobulin A (IgA+) plasma cells and expression of intestinal IgA in mice with acute liver necrosis.METHODS: A model of acute liver necrosis was established by intraperitoneal injection of galactosamine (GaIN) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Sixty mice were randomly divided into one of 4 equal groups: normal control, acute liver necrosis, LPS, or GaIN. Hematoxylin and eosin staining, immunohistochemistry, and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were employed to assess liver and intestinal injury, count intestinal IgA+ plasma cells, and measure the expression level of IgA and interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) in the small intestinal mucosa of mice.RESULTS: Injured intestinal mucosa was observed in the acute liver necrosis group but not in the normal, LPS or GaIN groups. Compared with the normal group, intestinal IgA+ plasma cells were slightly decreased in the LPS and GaIN groups [429 +/- 20 per high power field (HPF), 406 +/- 18/HPF, respectively], whereas they were markedly decreased in the acute liver necrosis group (282 +/- 17/HPF vs 495 +/- 26/HPF in normal group, P < 0.05). The expression of intestinal IgA was also slightly decreased in LPS and GaIN groups, but was markedly reduced in the acute liver necrosis group as determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (P < 0.05). In contrast, the level of IFN-gamma was slightly increased in LPS, GaIN and acute liver necrosis groups, but with no statistical significance (P > 0.05).CONCLUSION: Intestinal IgA+ plasma cells and IgA expression levels indicating that mucosa] immune barrier dysfunction, does exist in acute liver necrosis. (C) 2010 Baishideng. All rights reserved.