Objective: To find out if the in vitro production of tumour necrosis factor (TNF), interleukin 6 (IL-6) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) by macrophages (P3888D1) were influenced by the addition to the culture media of hepatocytes from normal guinea pigs and from guinea pigs after infusion with endotoxin with and without fatty acids.
Design: Laboratory experiment.
Setting: University hospital, United States
Material: 12 male Hartley guinea pigs.
Main outcome measures: Concentrations of TNF-alpha, IL-6, and PGE2.
Results: Hepatocytes inhibited the production of TNF by macrophages. Those from animals pretreated with endotoxin caused a large increase in the production of PGE2 and affected the production of IL-6 only in the presence of fatty acids. Fatty acids differed from each other in their effects on production of TNF-alpha and PGE2, but had no effect on the production of IL-6.
Conclusion: These results support the concept that hepatocytes and macrophages may interact in vivo, and this interaction may be influenced both by fatty acids that arise from lipid metabolism and from endotoxin present during sepsis and translocation.