Matrix Remodeling Associated 7 Deficiency Alleviates Carbon Tetrachloride-Induced Acute Liver Injury in Mice

Matrix remodeling associated 7 (MXRA7) was first noted to co-express with a group of matrix remodeling related genes, and its biological functions had remained unclear. In this study, we investigated the presumed function of MXRA7 in a carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄)-induced acute liver injury model in mice. Wild-type, MXRA7^-/- mice, and mice that were pulsed with hydrodynamic injection of vehicle or MXRA7-harboring plasmids were challenged with a single dose of CCl₄ for injury induction. The sera, spleens, and livers were harvested from mice for assay of cytokines/chemokines expression, cellular responses, or histological features. We found that MXRA7 deficiency alleviated, and MXRA7 overexpression aggravated liver damage in CCl₄-challenged mice. FACS analysis showed that MXRA7 deficiency reduced the recruitment of neutrophils through downregulation the expression of CXCL1 and CXCL2 in liver, decreased the number of CD8⁺ T cells in liver and spleen, suppressed the release of IFNγ and TNFα from T cells, and decreased IFNγ in serum and liver. Western blot assay demonstrated that MXRA7 deficiency suppressed the activation of MAPK pathway and AKT/NF-κB pathway, respectively. Lastly, MXRA7 deficiency or overexpression regulated the expression of two matrix remodeling-related genes (fibronectin and TIMP1) in the liver. We concluded that MXRA7 was an active player in CCl₄-induced liver injury, hypothetically by mediating the inflammation or immune compartments and matrix remodeling processes. Further exploration of MXRA7 as a possible new therapeutic target for management of inflammation-mediated liver injury was discussed.