Glucocorticoid induced tumor necrosis factor receptor (GITR) is a new member of the tumor necrosis factor^nerve growth factor receptor superfamily of which the function has not been well studied. The extracellular domain of GITR was produced in Escherichia coli and purified as a single band of predicted M r of 18.0 kDa. GITR and GITR ligand were expressed constitutively on the surface of Raw 264.7 macrophage cell line and murine peritoneal macrophages. An extracellular domain of GITR can activate murine macrophages to express inducible nitric oxide synthase and to generate nitric oxide in a dose-and time-dependent manner. ß

Rutin, a glycoside of flavonol, inhibits osteoclast formation induced by receptor activator of NF-κ B ligand (RANKL) in bone marrow-derived macrophages. It reduces reactive oxygen species produced by RANKL and its inhibitory effect results from reduced levels of TNF-α . Rutin also lowers NF-κ B activation in response to RANKL.

Extracellular matrix dysregulation is associated with chronic liver disease. CollagenVI‐alpha3 chain (COL6A3) is a biomarker for hepatic fibrosis and poor prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but its function in liver pathology remains unknown. High levels of COL6A3 and its cleaved product, endotrophin (ETP) in tumor‐neighboring regions are strongly associated with poor prognosis in HCC patients. Here, we report that the high levels of ETP in injured hepatocytes induce JNK‐dependent hepatocyte apoptosis and activate nonparenchymal cells to lead further activation of hepatic inflammation, fibrosis, and apoptosis. Nevertheless ETP per se showed limited phenotypic changes in normal liver tissues. Furthermore, inhibition of ETP activity by utilizing neutralizing antibodies efficiently suppressed the pathological consequences in chronic liver diseases. Our results implicate ETP mechanistically as a crucial mediator in reciprocal interactions among various hepatic cell populations in the pathogenesis of chronic liver disease, and it could be a promising therapeutic target particularly in individuals with high local levels of COL6A3. Copyright © 2018 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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