Rd. Goldin et al., THE EFFECT OF KUPFFER CELL ELIMINATION ON ETHANOL-INDUCED LIVER-DAMAGE IN MICE, International journal of experimental pathology, 76(5), 1995, pp. 353-359
C57BL/10 mice develop inflammatory and necrotic changes in the liver,
as well as raised serum ALT activities, after 9 days of exposure to et
hanol vapour. If mice were injected twice with liposomes containing di
chloromethylene diphosphonate (DMDP), with an interval of 5 days betwe
en the injections, there was complete elimination of. Kupffer cells (h
epatic macrophages) for a 9-day period starting 1 day after the first
injection. The inflammatory and necrotic changes were significantly re
duced in mice injected with liposomes containing DMDP as compared to u
ninjected mice or mice injected with empty liposomes; serum ALT activi
ties were also significantly reduced. No significant difference was se
en in serum tumour necrosis factor-a levels between the different grou
ps. Kupffer cells therefore play a significant role in the development
of the liver damage resulting from exposure to ethanol. Acetaldehyde
production by Kupffer cells is one way in which these cells can damage
hepatocytes and further work needs to be done to investigate this and
other mechanisms.