Therapeutic blockade of RAGE ameliorates hepatic microcirculation in endotoxemic liver failure

Ligand binding to the receptor for advanced glycation endproducts (RAGE), which is a member of pattern-recognition-receptors (PRRs), causes sustained activation of multiple inflammatory pathways. Therefore, RAGE has potential as a new therapeutic target in sepsis. To answer if RAGE blockade could prevent hepatic microcirculatory dysfunction, being a determinant for manifestation of endotoxemic liver failure, we analyzed in vivo murine livers exposed to galactosamine/lipopolysaccharide (Gal/LPS) and treated with an anti-RAGE antibody (abRAGE) either 12h before or 1h after Gal/LPS exposure. Following intravital fl…