Sulfatide, a specific sugar ligand for L-selectin, blocks CCl4-induced liver inflammation in rats

The effects of sulfatide, which is a specific sugar ligand for L-selectin (LECAM-1), on CCl4-induced liver inflammation was studied in rats. Intramuscular pretreatment with sulfatide suppressed the levels of serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) and glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT) that were increased by CCl4 injection, but galactosylceramide, a desulfated form of sulfatide, did not. A light-microscopic analysis found that the extent and the severity of lesions of the liver cells induced by CCl4 injection were significantly less in the rats treated with sulfatide. These results show that sulfatide suppresses the CCl4-induced liver inflammation by inhibiting the attachment of L-selectin expressing lymphocytes to their native sugar ligands.