Hepatic injury induced by interleukin-18 administration: importance of preceding priming effect.

The priming effects of obstructive jaundice by bile duct ligation on interleukin (IL)-18-induced hepatic injury are investigated. The production of IL-12 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha increased 3 days after bile duct ligation. Subsequent IL-18 injection to rats with obstructive jaundice caused by BDL resulted in prominent interferon-gamma production and hepatic injury. These results suggest that IL-18 with IL-12 and/or tumor necrosis factor-alpha have synergistic effects on the induction of hepatic injury via interferon-gamma production on this model.