Modulation of KC/gro protein (interleukin-8 related protein in rodents) release from hepatocytes by biologically active mediators.

Modulation of the release of KC/gro protein (a chemoattractant for neutrophils; IL-8 related protein in rodents) from isolated hepatocytes after stimulation with biologically active mediators was investigated. The release of KC/gro protein from hepatocytes of control rats was enhanced by stimulation with lipopolysaccharide, IL-1 beta or TNF-alpha in a dose-dependent manner, but was not enhanced by IL-6. In contrast, although spontaneous release of KC/gro protein from the hepatocytes of chronically ethanol-fed rats was markedly enhanced as compared with control rats, the relative increase by stimulation with lipopolysaccharide, IL-1 beta or TNF-alpha was significantly smaller than in controls. These findings suggest that the regulation of hepatocyte KC/gro protein production might be disturbed in chronically ethanol-fed rats.