CXCR2 Activated JAK3/STAT3 Signaling Pathway Exacerbating Hepatotoxicity Associated with Tacrolimus.

PURPOSE

Tacrolimus could induce hepatotoxicity during clinical use, and the mechanism was still unclear, which posed new challenge for the prevention and treatment of tacrolimus-induced hepatotoxicity. The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanism of tacrolimus-induced hepatotoxicity and provide reference for drug development target.

METHODS

In this study, biochemical analysis, pathological staining, immunofluorescent staining, immunohistochemical staining, transcriptomic analysis, Western blotting was used to investigate the mechanism of tacrolimus-induced hepatotoxicity in gene knockout mice and Wistar rats.

RESULTS

In gene knockout mice, compared to wild-type mice, CXCR2-deficiency alleviated tacrolimus-induced hepatotoxicity ( 0.05 or 0.01). In Wistar rats, compared to control group, CXCL2-CXCR2, JAK3/STAT3 signaling pathway (phosphorylation of JAK3 and STAT3) were up-regulated, the expression of CIS was lowered and the expression of PIM1 was raised, inducing liver pathological change ( 0.05 or 0.01); Inversely, blocking CXCR2 could reverse the expression of p-JAK3/p-STAT3 and tacrolimus-induced hepatotoxicity ( 0.05 or 0.01).

CONCLUSION

CXCR2 activated JAK3/STAT3 signaling pathway (phosphorylation of JAK3 and STAT3) exacerbating hepatotoxicity associated with tacrolimus, meanwhile the expression of CIS was down-regulated, the expression of PIM1 was up-regulated. Blocking CXCR2 could reverse the expression of p-JAK3/p-STAT3, CIS, PIM1, and tacrolimus-induced hepatotoxicity.