Effects of urotensin-II on cytokines in early acute liver failure in mice.

AIM: To investigate urotensin-II (U II) and its effects on tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and interleukin (IL)-1 beta in early acute liver failure (ALF). METHODS: We investigated the time-dependent alteration in U II levels and its effects on TNF-alpha and IL-1 beta in liver and blood in the early stage of lipopolysaccharide/D-galactosamine-induced ALF. RESULTS: After lipopolysaccharide/D-galactosamine challenge, U II rose very rapidly and reached a maximal level 0.5 h, and the level remained significantly elevated after 2 h (P < 0.05). Six hours after challenge, U. began to degrade, but remained higher than at 0 h (P < 0.05). Pretreatment with urantide, an inhibitor of the U. receptor, suppressed the degree of U II increase in liver and blood at 6 h after challenge (P < 0.05 vs paired controls). In addition, liver and blood TNF-alpha increased from 1 to 6 h, and reached a peak at 1 and 2 h, respectively; however, IL-1 beta did not rise until 6 h after challenge. Urantide pretreatment inhibited the degree of TNF-alpha and IL-1 beta increase following downregulation of U II post-challenge (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: U II plays a role in the pathogenesis and priming of ALF by triggering an inflammatory cascade and driving the early release of cytokines in mice.