Figure 9.

Depletion of Kupffer cells by GdCl₃pretreatment improves ALD-induced hepatic injury and significantly impairs EGCG-mediated hepatoprotection. (A) Verification of Kupffer cell depletion after GdCl₃ injection by measuring messenger RNA level changes of F4/80 and CD68 (n = 4). Results of (B, C) serum chemistry (ALT and AST) (n = 4); (D) representative hepatic H&E/Oil Red O staining, NAS score (n = 5), and liver TG level (n = 4) of GdCl₃-treated mice administered with ethanol consumption in the presence or absence of EGCG. Values are expressed as mean ± SD (3 independently repeated experiments with similar results). *,**, ***P < .05, .01, and .001 same color between EtOH and EtOH+EGCG groups For panel A: ***P < .001 between indicated groups. Scale bar = 20 μm. Statistical comparisons between groups were done by using the Kruskal-Wallis test followed by Dunn’s post hoc test to detect differences in all groups.