C5a/C5aR pathway is essential for up-regulating SphK1 expression through p38-MAPK activation in acute liver failure

Figure 1 Excessive activation of C5 and up-regulation of C5aR in liver tissue of mice with acute liver failure. Acute liver failure was induced in BALB/c mice using D-GalN (600 mg/kg) and LPS (10 μg/kg). A: Serum levels of C5a at 12, 24 and 36 h increased significantly compared with that at 0 h (42.8 ng/mL ± 4.77 ng/mL, 35.22 ng/mL ± 3.62 ng/mL, 25.52 ng/mL ± 4.02 ng/mL vs 12.23 ng/mL ± 2.55 ng/mL, t = 19.31, 17.2, and 9.67, respectively, ^eP < 0.001); B: Serum levels of C5 at 12, 24 and 36 h increased significantly compared with that at 0 h (0.65 mg/mL ± 0.117 mg/mL, 0.343 mg/mL ± 0.09 mg/mL, 0.211 mg/mL ± 0.06 mg/mL vs 1.413 mg/mL ± 0.209 mg/mL, t = 11.03, 16.29, and 19.15, respectively, ^eP < 0.001); C and D: Expression of C5aR mRNA and protein in liver tissue. The mean ± SE of three independent experiments is shown (error bar indicates standard error).