The role of the anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-10 (IL-10) was investigated in the mouse model of liver injury induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4 ). To address the role of endogenous IL-10 production, acute hepatitis was induced by CCl 4 in C57Bl/6 IL-10 gene knock out (KO) and wild-type (WT) mice. After CCl 4 challenge, serum and liver levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-␣) and serum levels of transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-␤1) increased and were significantly higher in IL-10 KO mice, whereas IL-6 serum levels were only slightly increased compared with WT mice. At histological examination, the livers disclosed a significantly more prominent neutrophilic infiltration in IL-10 KO mice 12 and 24 hours after CCl 4 injection. In contrast, hepatocyte necrosis, evaluated by histological examination and serum alanine aminotransferase levels, was only marginally affected. The proliferative response of hepatocytes, assessed by the proliferating cell nuclear-antigen labeling index, was significantly increased in IL-10 KO mice, compared with WT mice 48 hours after CCl 4 injection. Finally, repeated CCl 4 injections led to more liver fibrosis in IL-10 KO mice after 7 weeks. In conclusion, endogenous IL-10 marginally affects the hepatocyte necrosis although it controls the acute inflammatory burst induced by CCl 4 . During liver repair, it limits the proliferative response of hepatocytes and the development of fibrosis. (HEPATOLOGY 1998;28:1607-1615.)

Paraffin sections from animal or human tissues fixed in different fixatives were submitted to immunostaining with the mouse monoclonal antibody 19A2, developed by Ogata et al. (1987a) against cyclin/PCNA. Detection of the bound antibody was performed by the indirect method with biotinylated sheep antibody and streptavidin‐biotin‐peroxidase complexes. No, or faint, nuclear staining was seen in material fixed in ethanol, Bouin, Bouin‐Hollande, Carnoy or formaldehyde, whereas readily detectable immunocytochemical reaction was constantly observed over nuclei of methanol‐fixed tissues. Hydrolysis with 2 N HCl prior to immunocytochemistry (as currently performed to render incorporated BrdU accessible to antibodies) somewhat improved the results with Bouin or Carnoy and markedly augmented the intensity of the peroxidase reactions in formaldehyde and in methanol‐fixed tissues. The distribution of the positive nuclei in the two latter cases coincided with the proliferative compartment. On the other hand, double labelling with [3H]‐thymidine and with the cyclin/PCNA antibody revealed that in methanol‐fixed tissues the cyclin/PCNA labelling index did not differ by more than 6% from the [3H]‐thymidine index. Besides the two labels overlapped in a proportion of labelled cells that was in reasonable agreement with expectation considering cells flow in and out of S phase since the time of [3H]‐thymidine injection. This indicates that both labels recognize the same cells in this material. In contrast, in formaldehyde‐fixed tissues, the cyclin/PCNA labelling index markedly exceeded the [3H]‐thymidine labelling index. From this it is concluded that cyclin/PCNA immunostaining can be used:  In formaldehyde‐fixed tissues (including existing material stored as paraffin blocks): for defining and mapping the proliferative (or germinative) compartment.  In methanol‐fixed tissues as a substitute to the [3H]‐thymidine autoradiographic labelling index. From this, a method is proposed (derived from classical ‘double‐labelling’technique) for measuring S phase duration in tissues fixed at a known interval time after a single labelling with [3H]‐thymidine (or BrdU) and submitted to cyclin/PCNA immunocytochemical detection and to autoradiography (or to BrdU immunostaining).

Iron is suspected to be involved in the induction and/or progression of various human tumors. More particularly, iron may be involved in the pathogenesis of Kaposi's sarcoma, a tumor of probable vascular origin. This study was designed to investigate the effect of iron deprivation on Kaposi's sarcoma. The effects of iron chelators and iron deprivation associated with serum withdrawal were investigated on Kaposi's sarcoma-derived spindle cells, on a transformed Kaposi's sarcoma cell line (Kaposi's sarcoma Y-1) and on endothelial cells, which are the probable progenitors of Kaposi's sarcoma cells. Desferrioxamine and deferiprone, two chemically unrelated iron chelators, induced a time- and concentration-dependent inhibition of endothelial and Kaposi's sarcoma cell growth. The inhibition of cell growth was associated with a decrease in Ki-67 and in both stable and total proliferating cell nuclear antigen expression. Inhibition of the progression through the G1-phase of the cell cycle was further evidenced by decreased expression of cyclin D1 and of p34 cyclin-dependent kinase 4. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated desoxyuridinetriphosphate nick end labeling assay, flow cytometry with annexin-V-fluorescein and morphologic analysis indicated that iron chelation also induced a time- and concentration-dependent apoptosis. This apoptotic effect was prevented by the addition of exogenous iron. Induction of iron deprivation in the culture medium by serum withdrawal led to similar cell cycle effects, which, however, could only be partly reverted by the addition of exogenous iron. In conclusion, these results show that iron deprivation inhibits the growth and induces the apoptosis of Kaposi's sarcoma cells and of their putative endothelial precursors. This suggests that iron chelators may represent a potential therapeutic approach for the treatment of Kaposi's sarcoma.

Interleukin (IL)-10, a potent anti-inflammatory cytokine, limits the severity of acute pancreatitis and downregulates transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta release by inflammatory cells on stimulation. Proinflammatory mediators, reactive oxygen species, and TGF-beta can activate pancreatic stellate cells and their synthesis of collagen I and III. This study evaluates the role of endogenous IL-10 in the modulation of the regeneration phase following acute pancreatitis and in the development of pancreatic fibrosis. IL-10 knockout (KO) mice and their C57BL/6 controls were submitted to repeated courses (3/wk, during 6 wk, followed by 1 wk of recovery) of cerulein-induced acute pancreatitis. TGF-beta(1) release was measured on plasma, and its pancreatic expression was assessed by quantitative RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry. Intrapancreatic IL-10 gene expression was assessed by semiquantitative RT-PCR, and intrapancreatic collagen content was assessed by picrosirius staining. Activated stellate cells were detected by immunohistochemistry. S phase intrapancreatic cells were marked using tritiated thymidine labeling. After repeated acute pancreatitis, IL-10 KO mice had more severe histological lesions and fibrosis (intrapancreatic collagen content) than controls. TGF-beta(1) plasma levels, intrapancreatic transcription, and expression by ductal and interstitial cells, as well as the number of activated stellate cells, were significantly higher. IL-10 KO mice disclosed significantly fewer acinar cells in S phase, whereas the opposite was observed for pseudotubular cells. Endogenous IL-10 controls the regeneration phase and limits the severity of fibrosis and glandular atrophy induced by repeated episodes of acute pancreatitis in mice.