Abstract Purpose To investigate the effect of growth arrest-specific protein 6 (Gas6) on acute liver injury in mice and related mechanisms. Methods Thirty C57BL/6 (6-8 weeks old) mice were randomly divided into control, LPS/D-GalN, and LPS/D-GalN+Gas6 groups (10 mice in each group). The LPS/D-GalN group was intraperitoneally administered with LPS (0.25 mg/Kg) and D-GalN (400 mg/Kg) for 5h. The LPS/D-GalN+Gas6 group was intraperitoneally administered with rmGas6 one hour before intraperitoneal application of LPS/D-GalN. All subjects were sacrificed at 5 h for blood and tissue analysis. The expression of protein and mRNA was assessed by western blotting and RT-PCR, respectively. Results Compared with the control group, AST, ALT, IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6 IL-10, MPO activity were increased in the LPS/D-GalN group. However, they were significantly inhibited by Gas6. Gas6 markedly suppressed the expression of apoptosis-related protein induced by LPS/D-GalN. Moreover, Gas6 attenuated the activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway in acute liver injury induced by LPS/D-GalN. Conclusions Gas6 alleviates acute liver injury in mice through regulating NF-κB signaling pathways. Gas6 can be a potential therapeutic agent in treating LPS/D-GalN-induced acute liver injury in the future.

Abstract Purpose: To explore the effect of milk fat globule-epidermal growth factor 8 (MFG-E8) on sepsis-induced acute kidney injury (SAKI). Methods: Male C57BL/6 mice were randomized to control, sham, CLP, CLP+PBS, and CLP+rmMFG-E8 groups. SAKI was induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). Recombinant mouse MFG-E8 (rmMFG-E8) (20 μg/kg) or PBS (vehicle) was administered intraperitoneally. Blood, urine and renal tissue were collected at 24 h after CLP. Blood samples were tested for serum kidney injury biomarker and cytokines. Urine samples were collected to detect KIM-1, and NGAL. Real-time PCR was tested for Bax and Bcl-2. TUNEL staining was used to determine renal apoptosis. Western blot was used to detect the expression of Bax, Bcl-2, and proteins in the NF-κB pathway. Results: MFG-E8 alleviated SAKI by decreasing serum Cre, BUN, urine KIM-1 and NGAL and by mitigating renal pathological changes significant (p < 0.05). IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α were significantly inhibited by MFG-E8 (p < 0.05). Apoptosis induced by SAKI was markedly suppressed by MFG-E8. Finally, MFG-E8 attenuated the activation of the NF-��B signaling pathway in SAKI. Conclusion: MFG-E8 has beneficial effects on SAKI, which may be achieved by inhibiting the NF-κB pathway.