Concanavalin A (con A) induces tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-dependent hepatocyte apoptosis resembling immune-mediated fulminant hepatic failure in humans. Intracellular pathways originating at the TNF receptor are either linked to apoptosis, nuclear factor (NF)-κB translocation, or Jun kinase (JNK) activation. The aim of this study was to study TNF-dependent pathways after con A injection in vivo.

Con A, con A plus anti-TNF, and control buffer were injected into BALB/c mice. Immunofluorescence, Western blot, Northern blot, gel shift, Erk, and JNK activity and DNA fragmentation experiments were performed at different time points after injection.

DNA fragmentation in hepatocytes was increased 4–24 hours after con A injection. JNK was activated maximally (>20-fold) directly after con A injection, whereas binding and nuclear translocation of NF-κB was maximal after 4 hours. All pathways were blocked by anti-TNF. JNK activation was specific because related ERK 1 + 2 were not activated after con A. High nuclear expression of c-Jun was already evident 1 hour after con A injection; however, in contrast to JNK, anti-TNF treatment did not block c-Jun nuclear expression and DNA binding.

In the con A model, activation of TNF-dependent pathways is associated with apoptosis of hepatocytes. Their modulation in vivo may have implications to develop new therapeutic strategies to prevent apoptosis. GASTROENTEROLOGY 1998;114:1035-1045