ABSTRACT
Aim To investigate the role of P2X7 recep-tor and its mediated NLRP3 inflammatory signaling pathway in alcohol-induced liver injury. Methods The acute alcoholic liver injury model was established by NIAAA method, and thirty C57BL/6 male mice were randomly divided into three groups (n =10):control group, model group, A438079 group, The three groups were processed as follows in the last week:control group and model group: given an equal dose of saline intraperitoneal injection(about 0.2 mL/only) once a day. According to the weight of the mice, A438079 group was given intraperitoneally injection by 200 μmol·kg-1of A-438079 (prepared at 7 g·L-1 of A438079,about 0.2 mL/only) once a day. And it was given a single 31.5% alcohol solution by intragas-tric administration on the last day of the morning,with the dose of 10 mL·kg-1. Nine hours later alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST),cholesterol(TCHO),triglyceride(TG) were measured by orbital blood in mice. HE staining was used to observe the pathological changes of the liver. Immunohistochemical method was applied to detect the expression of P2X7R in liver tissues. Western blot was employed to detect the levels of P2X7R, NLRP3, ASC, IL-1β and IL-18 in liver tissues. Results Compared with control group,the levels of ALT,AST, TG and TCHO in model group were significantly en-hanced, and the liver injury was obvious. Compared with model group, the levels of ALT, AST, TG and TCHO in A438079 group significantly decreased. Compared with control group, the expressions of P2X7, NLRP3, ASC, IL-1β, IL-18 in model group were significantly higher than those in control group. Compared with model group, the expression levels of P2X7, NLRP3, ASC, IL-1β and IL-18 in A438079 group significantly decreased. Conclusion Alcohol-induced liver injury may be associated with P2X7R-NLRP3 signaling pathway.