Interleukin-8 Is Activated in Patients with Chronic Liver Diseases and Associated with Hepatic Macrophage Accumulation in Human Liver Fibrosis
Figure 4
CXCR1 and CXCR2 mRNA and protein expression on circulating monocytes.
(A) Monocytes were purified from whole blood by MACS with anti-CD14 antibodies, revealing purities above 95%. Representative FACS analysis before and after purification is shown. (B–C) Gene expression levels of the IL-8 receptors CXCR1 (B) and CXCR2 (C) were assessed from purified circulating monocytes of patients and controls and are displayed as relative expression levels. CLD, chronic liver disease. (D) CXCR1 and CXCR2 expression was also measured on a protein level by FACS. Representative plots from a healthy control (left) and patients with alcoholic Child C cirrhosis (right) are shown; pre-gating on CD14+ monocytes to exclude CXCR1 expression by neutrophils. (E) Representative histograms showing how mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) was assessed: isotype control staining was subtracted from CXCR1 expression on circulating CD14+ monocytes from healthy controls or patients. (F) Comparison of monocytic CXCR1 protein expression between healthy controls and patients with liver cirrhosis. Peripheral blood neutrophils served as a positive control for CXCR1 and CXCR2 staining (not shown).