AUTHOR=Fan Xiaoli , Men Ruoting , Wang Haoran , Shen Mengyi , Wang Tingting , Ye Tinghong , Luo Xuefeng , Yang Li TITLE=Methylprednisolone Decreases Mitochondria-Mediated Apoptosis and Autophagy Dysfunction in Hepatocytes of Experimental Autoimmune Hepatitis Model via the Akt/mTOR Signaling JOURNAL=Frontiers in Pharmacology VOLUME=10 YEAR=2019 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pharmacology/articles/10.3389/fphar.2019.01189 DOI=10.3389/fphar.2019.01189 ISSN=1663-9812 ABSTRACT=
Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is characterized by massive immune cell-mediated hepatocyte destruction. Glucocorticoids, particularly methylprednisolone (MP), are the most effective treatment for AIH; however, the mechanism underlying the effects of glucocorticoid treatment has not been fully elucidated. The present study explored the effects of MP on damaged hepatocytes in mice with concanavalin A (ConA)−induced experimental autoimmune hepatitis (EAH). C57BL/6 mice were divided into three groups: a normal control group (injected with normal saline), a ConA (20 mg/kg) group, and a ConA + MP (3.12 mg/kg) group. The serum levels of liver enzymes, cytokines, activated T cells, and apoptosis− and autophagy−associated marker proteins were determined 12 h after ConA injection. Human hepatocyte cell line LO2 was used to verify the effects of ConA and MP