AIM2 Mediates Inflammation-Associated Renal Damage in Hepatitis B Virus-Associated Glomerulonephritis by Regulating Caspase-1, IL-1β, and IL-18. (20th February 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhen, Junhui; Zhang, Le; Pan, Jiachao; Ma, Shumin; Yu, Xiaojian; Li, Xiaobo; Chen, Shijun; Du, Wenjun
• Other Names: McCafferty Donna-Marie Academic Editor.
• Is Part Of: Mediators of inflammation. Volume 2014(2014)
• Publication Date: 2014-02-20
• Subjects: Inflammation -- Mediators -- Periodicals; Biological response modifiers -- Periodicals; Inflammation (Pathologie) -- Médiateurs; Immunomodulateurs; Biological response modifiers; Inflammation -- Mediators; Immunology; Autacoids; Immunologic Factors; Cell Adhesion Molecules; Cell Communication; Cytokines; Inflammation; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 616.0473
• DOI: 10.1155/2014/190860
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0962-9351

Abstract

Abstract : Background & Aims . AIM2 plays an important role in innate immunity, but its role in regulating the immune response to hepatitis B virus (HBV) is unknown. We hypothesized that AIM2 expression is positively correlated with HBV-mediated inflammation in patients with HBV-associated glomerulonephritis (HBV-GN), potentiating inflammation and leading to renal damage. We therefore analyzed the expression of AIM2 and inflammatory factors in HBV-GN tissues and cell lines relative to the inflammatory response to HBV infection and HBV status. Methods . Seventy-nine patients with chronic nephritis (CN) were included: 54 with HBV-GN and 24 with chronic glomerulonephritis (CGN). Expression of AIM2, caspase-1, and IL-1 β was detected by immunohistochemistry in renal biopsies from each patient. Following siRNA-mediated knockdown of AIM2 in HBV-infected and HBV-uninfected human glomerular mesangial (HGM) cells, expression of caspase-1, IL-1 β, and IL-18 was detected by qRT-PCR and Western blot. Results . AIM2 expression in HBV-GN biopsies (81.4%) was significantly higher than in CGN (4.0%) and positively correlated with caspase-1 and IL-1 β expression in HBV-GN. In vitro, AIM2 knockdown reduced caspase-1, IL-1 β, and IL-18 expression in HBV-infected and HBV-uninfected HGM cells. Conclusion . AIM2 elevation during HBV infection or replication may contribute to inflammatory damage, thus providing a putative therapeutic target for HBV-GN.