Abstract: Objective To investigate the effect of high glucose on the expressions of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and
proinflammatory cytokine production induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in hepatic stellate cells in vitro. Methods Hepatic
stellate cell line T6 was cultured in vitro and stimulated by high glucose. The mRNA and protein expression of TLR4 were
detected by RT-PCR and Western blotting, respectively. After a 24-h pretreatment with high or low glucose, the cells were
stimulated with LPS for 2 h, and Western blotting was used to detect the nuclear translocation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB); at
24 h of LPS exposure, the cells were examined for MCP-1 and IL-6 mRNA and protein expression levels with RT-PCR and
ELISA, respectively. Results High glucose significantly increased the mRNA and protein expressions of TLR4 (P<0.01) in a
time- and dose-dependent manner. High glucose promoted NF-κB nuclear translocation and significantly enhanced the
expression and secretion of both MCP-1 and IL-6 (P<0.01). Pretreatment with high glucose significantly promoted LPS-induced
NF-κB nuclear translocation (P<0.01) and the mRNA expression and secretion of MCP-1 and IL-6. Conclusions High glucose
can increase TLR4 mRNA and protein expressions in hepatic stellate cells and promote LPS-induced NF-κB activation and
production of proinflammatory cytokines.