Growth arrest specific 6 ameliorated inflammation and portal pressure through activating efferocytosis in cholestasis and portal hypertension

Figure 5 Efferocytosis activated by recombinant growth arrest specific 6 alleviated 3,5-diethoxycarbonyl-1,4-dihydrocollidine-induced cholestatic liver injury and inflammation. A: The survival curve of mice fed with 3,5-diethoxycarbonyl-1,4-dihydrocollidine (DDC) diet and treated with vehicle or recombinant growth arrest specific 6; B: Western blotting analysis of MerTK phosphorylation and inflammation [tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and interleukin (IL)-6] in liver of DDC mice; C: The serum levels of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, and total bile acid in DDC mice; D: Transcription levels of pro-inflammatory genes including TNF-α and IL-6 measured by qRT-PCR; E: The representative images of liver sections probed with specific antibodies against the macrophage marker CD68 and reparative macrophage marker CD163. The number of infiltrated macrophages and reparative macrophages between two groups were quantified; F: The representative images of liver sections probed with specific antibody against the macrophage marker CD68 and co-stained with TUNEL assay. The number of apoptotic cells and the macrophage efferocytosis between two groups were quantified. ^aP < 0.05, ^bP < 0.01. H&E: Hematoxylin & eosin; rGas6: Recombinant growth arrest specific 6; DDC: Diethoxycarbonyl-1,4-dihydrocollidine; TNF-α: Tumor necrosis factor α; IL: Interleukin; ALT: Alanine aminotransferase; AST: Aspartate aminotransferase; TBIL: Total bilirubin; DBIL: Direct bilirubin; TBA: Total bile acid.