Liver inflammation in a mouse model of Th1 hepatitis despite the absence of invariant NKT cells or the Th1 chemokine receptors CXCR3 and CCR5

The specific mechanisms that mediate CD4(+) T cell mediated liver injury have not been fully elucidated. CD4(+) invariant NKT (iNKT) cells are required for liver damage in some mouse models of hepatitis, while the chemokine receptors CXCR3 and CCR5 are considered dominant Th1 chemokine receptors involved in Th1 trafficking in inflammatory conditions. BALB/c-Tgfb1(−/−) mice spontaneously develop Th1 hepatitis. Here, we directly test the hypotheses that iNKT cells or the Th1 cell chemokine receptors CXCR3 and CCR5 are required for development of liver disease in Tgfb1(−/−) mice. Tgfb1(−/−) mouse livers exhibited significant increases in iNKT cells and in ligands for CXCR3 or CCR5. Tgfb1(−/−) mice were rendered deficient in iNKT cells, CXCR3, CCR5, or both CXCR3 and CCR5, by cross-breeding with appropriate knockout mice. Tgfb1(−/−) mice developed severe liver injury, even in the absence of functional CD1d/iNKT cells, CXCR3, CCR5, or both CXCR3 and CCR5. Liver CD4(+) T cells accumulated to high numbers, and spleen CD4(+) T cell numbers declined, regardless of the functionality of the CXCR3/CCR5 response pathways. Similarly, dendritic cells and macrophages accumulated in Tgfb1(−/−) livers even when CXCR3 and CCR5 were knocked out. Th1-associated cytokines (IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-2) and chemokines (CXCL9, CXCL10) were strongly over-expressed in Tgfb1(−/−) mice despite knockouts in CD1d, CXCR3, or CCR5. These studies indicate that the cellular and biochemical basis for CD4(+) T cell mediated injury in liver can be complex, with myriad pathways potentially involved.