Tumour
necrosis factor-alpha (
TNF-alpha) mediates hepatocyte cell death by D-
galactosamine (D-GalN) and its protection by
prostaglandin E(1) (
PGE(1)). The activation of immune system plays an important role in the development of liver injury.
TNF-alpha and
PGE(1) regulate the activity and
cytokine release of different inflammatory cells. The present study was undertaken to determine if the noxious or hepatic protective properties of
TNF-alpha during D-GalN-induced liver injury was related to an alteration by
PGE(1) of the immunoregulatory activity of
TNF-alpha. The role of
TNF-alpha was assessed by anti-
TNF-alpha antibodies to D-GalN-treated rats in the presence or absence of
PGE(1). D-GalN enhanced the percentage of monocytes and T lymphocytes in the total peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). D-GalN enhanced the activation degree of monocytes, but reduced that of T lymphocytes. D-GalN also enhanced
TNF-alpha, IL-1alpha,
IL-6 and IFN-gamma concentrations in blood. Anti-
TNF-alpha antibodies abolished all immunological changes and greatly reduced liver damage induced by D-GalN. The protection by
PGE(1) against D-GalN liver injury was associated with an increase in
TNF-alpha concentration and a reduction of IL-1alpha and
IL-6. These changes were associated with a reduction of monocyte activation degree and a recovery of that of T lymphocytes. Although anti-
TNF-alpha antibodies abolished the protection by
PGE(1) against D-GalN-liver injury, they did not essentially counteract the effect of the
prostanoid in all immunological parameters studied. The present study showed that the protection against D-GalN liver damage by
PGE(1) or anti-
TNF-alpha was associated with similar effects on the inflammatory parameters studied. Nevertheless, the abolishment of liver protection by
PGE(1) with anti-
TNF-alpha in D-GalN-treated rats in the presence of a protective
cytokine profile suggests that the release of
TNF-alpha induced by
PGE(1) pre-administration was exerting a direct protective effect on hepatocytes against D-GalN injury. Consequently, the effect of
PGE(1) on inflammatory parameters studied during liver injury was unrelated to
TNF-alpha.