Hepatocytes contribute to immune regulation in the liver by activation of the Notch signaling pathway in T cells.

The "liver tolerance effect" has been attributed to a unique potential of liver-resident nonprofessional APCs including hepatocytes (HCs) to suppress T cell responses. The exact molecular mechanism of T cell suppression by liver APCs is still largely unknown. In mice, IL-10-dependent T cell suppression is observed after Th1-mediated hepatitis induced by Con A. In this study, we show that HCs, particularly those from regenerating livers of Con A-pretreated mice, induced a regulatory phenotype in naive CD4(+) T cells in vitro. Using reporter mice, we observed that these T regulatory cells released substantial amounts of IL-10, produced IFN-γ, failed to express Foxp3, but suppressed proliferation of responder T cells upon restimulation with anti-CD3 mAb. Hence, these regulatory cells feature a similar phenotype as the recently described IL-10-producing Th1 cells, which are generated upon activation of Notch signaling. Indeed, inhibition of γ-secretase and a disintegrin and metalloproteinase 17 but not a disintegrin and metalloproteinase 10, respectively, which blocked Notch activation, prevented IL-10 secretion. HCs from Con A-pretreated mice showed enhanced expression of the Notch ligand Jagged1 and significantly increased receptor density of Notch1 on CD4(+) T cells. However, HCs from Con A-pretreated IFN regulatory factor 1(-/-) mice, which cannot respond to IFN-γ, as well as those from IFN-γ(-/-) mice failed to augment IL-10 production by CD4(+) T cells. In conclusion, it seems that HCs fine-tune liver inflammation by upregulation of Jagged1 and activation of Notch signaling in Th1 cells. This mechanism might be of particular importance in the regenerating liver subsequent to Th1-mediated hepatitis.

Matrix metalloproteinase 17 is necessary for cartilage aggrecan degradation in an inflammatory environment.

OBJECTIVE: Aggrecan is a critical component of cartilage extracellular matrix. Several members of the 'a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs' (ADAMTS) family have been characterised as aggrecanases by their ability to generate fragments containing the NITEGE neoepitope from aggrecan. Increased NITEGE fragments in synovial fluid and articular cartilage are a hallmark of osteoarthritis (OA) and it is hypothesised that the enhanced rate of aggrecan degradation is critical for cartilage destruction in OA. Recently, matrix metalloproteinase 17 (MMP17, also known as MT4-MMP) has been implicated in the activation of one of the key aggrecanases: ADAMTS4. In the present work, the hypothesis that MMP17 mediates the interleukin 1ß (IL-1ß) induced release of NITEGE neoepitope from human and murine articular cartilage is investigated. METHODS: MMP17 was quantified at the protein and RNA level and NITEGE neoepitope generation by immunohistochemistry. Human postmortem articular cartilage explants were treated with recombinant MMP17, or IL-1ß in the presence or absence of an MMP17 inhibitor. Glycosaminoglycan (GAG) loss into the media was quantified using the 1,9-dimethylmethylene blue (DMMB) assay. Intra-articular injection (IAI) of IL-1ß or meniscotibial ligament transaction was carried out in MMP17 null mice. RESULTS: The data reveal an association between increased MMP17 protein and NITEGE staining in areas of OA cartilage damage. Ex vivo treatment of normal human cartilage with recombinant MMP17 protein increased NITEGE generation in the cartilage and GAG loss into the media. In addition, IL-1ß mediated cartilage GAG loss, and increased NITEGE neoepitope expression, were attenuated with an MMP17 inhibitor. IAI of IL-1ß into C57BL6/Jax mice resulted in increased MMP17 expression in articular cartilage and increased GAG content in the synovial fluid. MMP17 null mice were protected against this increase. However, aggrecan loss driven by mechanical stress following medial meniscotibial ligament transection was not dependent on MMP17. CONCLUSION: These data further implicate MMP17 in the control of articular cartilage extracellular matrix aggrecan integrity in an inflammatory environment.