Frontiers in pharmacology
P2X7 receptor contributes to hepatic inflammation and collagen deposition in methionine- and choline-deficient diet-fed mice
By da Silva SRB, Cristina-Rodrigues F, Chaves MM and 8 others.
Abstract
Introduction
Metabolic-Dysfunction-Associated Steatohepatitis (MASH) is characterized by hepatic steatosis, inflammation, and progressive liver injury, with growing evidence implicating purinergic signaling and inflammasome activation in disease progression. Here, we investigated the role of the P2X7 receptor and caspase-1/11 signaling in methionine- and choline-deficient (MCD) diet-induced liver injury in mice.
Methods
Mice were fed an MCD diet to induce liver injury, and hepatic steatosis, inflammation, and tissue injury were assessed by histopathological analysis. Hepatic triacylglycerol and cholesterol accumulation, Il1b mRNA expression, and IL-1β protein levels were evaluated. The hepatic expression profile of purinergic receptors, including P2Y1, P2Y4, P2Y6, P2Y12, and P2Y14, was also investigated in wild-type and P2X7- and/or caspase-1/11-deficient mice.