Enhanced tumor necrosis factor and interleukin-1 in an experimental model of massive liver cell necrosis/fatal hepatitis in mice.

Studies were conducted to investigate possible roles of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interleukin-1 (IL-1) in liver cell necrosis/fatal hepatitis in mice which were injected with Propionibacterium acnes (P.acnes) and subsequently 7 days later with a small dose of lipopolysaccharide-endotoxin (LPS). Higher serum levels of TNF were observed in the model, and enhanced production of both TNF and IL-1 was also found in hepatic as well as splenic adherent cells that were isolated from mice pretreated with P.acnes and were stimulated by LPS in vitro. When TNF substituted for LPS in the model, fatal hepatitis was also induced within 24 hrs, although the replacement of LPS by IL-1 resulted in no lethality. Moreover, when a combination of a near non-lethal doses of TNF and IL-1 substituted for LPS, 100% lethality was observed within 4 hrs. These results strongly suggest that both TNF and IL-1 are crucial soluble factors which are released by infiltrating macrophages in both liver and spleen, and are responsible for the development of liver cell necrosis/fatal hepatitis. In particular, TNF is one of the principal mediators of liver injury and IL-1 may potentiate the lethal effect of TNF in an LPS-related experimental model of massive liver cell necrosis.