Eicosanoids and the liver

Prostaglandins and leukotrienes are ubiquitous mediators of a wide variety of physiologic and immunologic effects in liver function and disease. Although the biochemical, synthetic and catabolic pathways of these compounds from arachidonic acid are well known, their cellular mechanisms of action are less well understood. Numerous studies have demonstrated the role for leukotrienes in the pathogenesis and the protective action of PG in experimental animal models of liver injury. These have included models of liver cell damage due to ischemia, galactosamine, carbon tetrachloride, and lipopolysaccharide. More importantly, the results of these studies have led to the demonstration of protective properties of 16, 16 dimethyl PGE2 (dm PGE2) in a mouse model of viral hepatitis. These results have led to the use of IV PGE1 in the treatment of patients with fulminant viral hepatitis, where 71% overall survival was observed as well as in the setting of primary non function and recurrent hepatitis B following liver transplantation. While the mechanisms of prostaglandin hepatic protection are not well understood, it has been demonstrated that dm PGE2 abrogates the induction of tumour necrosis factor, leukotriene B4 (LTB4) and procoagulant activity by macrophages as well as attenuating the expression of major histocompatibility class antigens on the surface of hepatocytes, and may inhibit viral replication. Finally, prostaglandins are known to play a role in the renal dysfunction associated with cirrhosis and fulminant hepatic failure, and therefore further studies of these agents in the pathophysiology and treatment of liver diseases and their complications are warranted.