Potentiation of inflammatory genes expression by triglycerides in rat Kupffer cells

Aims: Accumulation of fat in the liver may lead to inflammation and progressive fibrosis. Kupffer cells are important for the clearance of intestinal bacterial products. These cells also participate in inflammatory reactions in the liver. The inflammatory response following exposure of isolated rat Kupffer cells to lipids and to endotoxin was investigated in this study. Methods: Kupffer cells were treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and triglycerides (TGs) alone or in combination. Gene expression of tumor-necrosis-factor-alpha (TNF alpha), interleukin–1-beta (IL1-beta), interleukin–6 (IL–6), inducible nitric o…