MODULATION OF KC GRO PROTEIN (INTERLEUKIN-8 RELATED PROTEIN IN RODENTS) RELEASE FROM HEPATOCYTES BY BIOLOGICALLY-ACTIVE MEDIATORS/

Modulation of the release of KC/gro protein (a chemoattractant for neu trophils; IL-8 related protein in rodents) from isolated hepatocytes a fter stimulation with biologically active mediators was investigated. The release of KC/gro protein from hepatocytes of control rats was enh anced by stimulation with lipopolysaccharide, IL-1beta or TNF-alpha in a dose dependent manner, but was not enhanced by IL-6. In contrast, a lthough spontaneous release of KC/gro protein from the hepatocytes of chronically ethanol-fed rats was markedly enhanced as compared with co ntrol rats, the relative increase by stimulation with lipopolysacchari de, IL 1beta or TNF-alpha was significantly smaller than in controls. These findings suggest that the regulation of hepatocyte KC/gro protei n production might be disturbed in chronically ethanol-fed rats. (C) 1 994 Academic Press, Inc.