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Régnier M, Carbinatti T, Parlati L, Benhamed F, Postic C. The role of ChREBP in carbohydrate sensing and NAFLD development. Nat Rev Endocrinol 2023; 19:336-349. [PMID: 37055547 DOI: 10.1038/s41574-023-00809-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/15/2023]
Abstract
Excessive sugar consumption and defective glucose sensing by hepatocytes contribute to the development of metabolic diseases including type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Hepatic metabolism of carbohydrates into lipids is largely dependent on the carbohydrate-responsive element binding protein (ChREBP), a transcription factor that senses intracellular carbohydrates and activates many different target genes, through the activation of de novo lipogenesis (DNL). This process is crucial for the storage of energy as triglycerides in hepatocytes. Furthermore, ChREBP and its downstream targets represent promising targets for the development of therapies for the treatment of NAFLD and T2DM. Although lipogenic inhibitors (for example, inhibitors of fatty acid synthase, acetyl-CoA carboxylase or ATP citrate lyase) are currently under investigation, targeting lipogenesis remains a topic of discussion for NAFLD treatment. In this Review, we discuss mechanisms that regulate ChREBP activity in a tissue-specific manner and their respective roles in controlling DNL and beyond. We also provide in-depth discussion of the roles of ChREBP in the onset and progression of NAFLD and consider emerging targets for NAFLD therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marion Régnier
- Université Paris Cité, Institut Cochin, CNRS, INSERM, Paris, France.
| | - Thaïs Carbinatti
- Université Paris Cité, Institut Cochin, CNRS, INSERM, Paris, France
| | - Lucia Parlati
- Université Paris Cité, Institut Cochin, CNRS, INSERM, Paris, France
| | - Fadila Benhamed
- Université Paris Cité, Institut Cochin, CNRS, INSERM, Paris, France
| | - Catherine Postic
- Université Paris Cité, Institut Cochin, CNRS, INSERM, Paris, France.
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2
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Ma J, Tan X, Kwon Y, Delgado ER, Zarnegar A, DeFrances MC, Duncan AW, Zarnegar R. A Novel Humanized Model of NASH and Its Treatment With META4, A Potent Agonist of MET. Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepatol 2021; 13:565-582. [PMID: 34756982 PMCID: PMC8688725 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcmgh.2021.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Revised: 10/12/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/10/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is a frequent cause of hepatic dysfunction and is now a global epidemic. This ailment can progress to an advanced form called nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and end-stage liver disease. Currently, the molecular basis of NASH pathogenesis is poorly understood, and no effective therapies exist to treat NASH. These shortcomings are due to the paucity of experimental NASH models directly relevant to humans. METHODS We used chimeric mice with humanized liver to investigate nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in a relevant model. We carried out histologic, biochemical, and molecular approaches including RNA-Seq. For comparison, we used side-by-side human NASH samples. RESULTS Herein, we describe a "humanized" model of NASH using transplantation of human hepatocytes into fumarylacetoacetate hydrolase-deficient mice. Once fed a high-fat diet, these mice develop NAFLD faithfully, recapitulating human NASH at the histologic, cellular, biochemical, and molecular levels. Our RNA-Seq analyses uncovered that a variety of important signaling pathways that govern liver homeostasis are profoundly deregulated in both humanized and human NASH livers. Notably, we made the novel discovery that hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) function is compromised in human and humanized NASH at several levels including a significant increase in the expression of the HGF antagonists known as NK1/NK2 and marked decrease in HGF activator. Based on these observations, we generated a potent, human-specific, and stable agonist of human MET that we have named META4 (Metaphor) and used it in the humanized NASH model to restore HGF function. CONCLUSIONS Our studies revealed that the humanized NASH model recapitulates human NASH and uncovered that HGF-MET function is impaired in this disease. We show that restoring HGF-MET function by META4 therapy ameliorates NASH and reinstates normal liver function in the humanized NASH model. Our results show that the HGF-MET signaling pathway is a dominant regulator of hepatic homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jihong Ma
- The Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261
| | - Xinping Tan
- The Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261
| | - Yongkook Kwon
- The Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261
| | - Evan R. Delgado
- The Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261,Pittsburgh Liver Research Center, School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,McGowan Institute of Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Arman Zarnegar
- The Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261
| | - Marie C. DeFrances
- The Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261,Pittsburgh Liver Research Center, School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,McGowan Institute of Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Andrew W. Duncan
- The Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261,Pittsburgh Liver Research Center, School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,McGowan Institute of Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Reza Zarnegar
- The Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261,Pittsburgh Liver Research Center, School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,McGowan Institute of Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,Correspondence Address correspondence to: Prof Reza Zarnegar, University of Pittsburgh, Department of Pathology, 200 Lothrop St, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261. tel: (412) 648-8657; fax: (412) 648-1916.
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3
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Wandmacher AM, Mehdorn AS, Sebens S. The Heterogeneity of the Tumor Microenvironment as Essential Determinant of Development, Progression and Therapy Response of Pancreatic Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:4932. [PMID: 34638420 PMCID: PMC8508450 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13194932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Revised: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is commonly diagnosed at advanced stages and most anti-cancer therapies have failed to substantially improve prognosis of PDAC patients. As a result, PDAC is still one of the deadliest tumors. Tumor heterogeneity, manifesting at multiple levels, provides a conclusive explanation for divergent survival times and therapy responses of PDAC patients. Besides tumor cell heterogeneity, PDAC is characterized by a pronounced inflammatory stroma comprising various non-neoplastic cells such as myofibroblasts, endothelial cells and different leukocyte populations which enrich in the tumor microenvironment (TME) during pancreatic tumorigenesis. Thus, the stromal compartment also displays a high temporal and spatial heterogeneity accounting for diverse effects on the development, progression and therapy responses of PDAC. Adding to this heterogeneity and the impact of the TME, the microbiome of PDAC patients is considerably altered. Understanding this multi-level heterogeneity and considering it for the development of novel therapeutic concepts might finally improve the dismal situation of PDAC patients. Here, we outline the current knowledge on PDAC cell heterogeneity focusing on different stromal cell populations and outline their impact on PDAC progression and therapy resistance. Based on this information, we propose some novel concepts for treatment of PDAC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anna Maxi Wandmacher
- Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein Campus Kiel, Arnold-Heller-Str. 3, 24105 Kiel, Germany;
| | - Anne-Sophie Mehdorn
- Department of General, Visceral, Thoracic, Transplantation and Pediatric Surgery, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein Campus Kiel, Arnold-Heller-Str. 3, Building C, 24105 Kiel, Germany;
| | - Susanne Sebens
- Institute for Experimental Cancer Research, Kiel University and University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein Campus Kiel, Arnold-Heller-Str. 3, Building U30 Entrance 1, 24105 Kiel, Germany
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4
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Chembazhi UV, Bangru S, Hernaez M, Kalsotra A. Cellular plasticity balances the metabolic and proliferation dynamics of a regenerating liver. Genome Res 2021; 31:576-591. [PMID: 33649154 DOI: 10.1101/2020.05.29.124263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2020] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
The adult liver has an exceptional ability to regenerate, but how it maintains its specialized functions during regeneration is unclear. Here, we used partial hepatectomy (PHx) in tandem with single-cell transcriptomics to track cellular transitions and heterogeneities of ∼22,000 liver cells through the initiation, progression, and termination phases of mouse liver regeneration. Our results uncovered that, following PHx, a subset of hepatocytes transiently reactivates an early-postnatal-like gene expression program to proliferate, while a distinct population of metabolically hyperactive cells appears to compensate for any temporary deficits in liver function. Cumulative EdU labeling and immunostaining of metabolic, portal, and central vein-specific markers revealed that hepatocyte proliferation after PHx initiates in the midlobular region before proceeding toward the periportal and pericentral areas. We further demonstrate that portal and central vein proximal hepatocytes retain their metabolically active state to preserve essential liver functions while midlobular cells proliferate nearby. Through combined analysis of gene regulatory networks and cell-cell interaction maps, we found that regenerating hepatocytes redeploy key developmental regulons, which are guided by extensive ligand-receptor-mediated signaling events between hepatocytes and nonparenchymal cells. Altogether, our study offers a detailed blueprint of the intercellular crosstalk and cellular reprogramming that balances the metabolic and proliferative requirements of a regenerating liver.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ullas V Chembazhi
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
| | - Sushant Bangru
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
- Cancer Center@Illinois, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
| | - Mikel Hernaez
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
- Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, Pamplona, 31008 Navarra, Spain
| | - Auinash Kalsotra
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
- Cancer Center@Illinois, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
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5
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Payen VL, Lavergne A, Alevra Sarika N, Colonval M, Karim L, Deckers M, Najimi M, Coppieters W, Charloteaux B, Sokal EM, El Taghdouini A. Single-cell RNA sequencing of human liver reveals hepatic stellate cell heterogeneity. JHEP Rep 2021; 3:100278. [PMID: 34027339 PMCID: PMC8121977 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhepr.2021.100278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2020] [Revised: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 02/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background & Aims The multiple vital functions of the human liver are performed by highly specialised parenchymal and non-parenchymal cells organised in complex collaborative sinusoidal units. Although crucial for homeostasis, the cellular make-up of the human liver remains to be fully elucidated. Here, single-cell RNA-sequencing was used to unravel the heterogeneity of human liver cells, in particular of hepatocytes (HEPs) and hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). Method The transcriptome of ~25,000 freshly isolated human liver cells was profiled using droplet-based RNA-sequencing. Recently published data sets and RNA in situ hybridisation were integrated to validate and locate newly identified cell populations. Results In total, 22 cell populations were annotated that reflected the heterogeneity of human parenchymal and non-parenchymal liver cells. More than 20,000 HEPs were ordered along the portocentral axis to confirm known, and reveal previously undescribed, zonated liver functions. The existence of 2 subpopulations of human HSCs with unique gene expression signatures and distinct intralobular localisation was revealed (i.e. portal and central vein-concentrated GPC3+ HSCs and perisinusoidally located DBH+ HSCs). In particular, these data suggest that, although both subpopulations collaborate in the production and organisation of extracellular matrix, GPC3+ HSCs specifically express genes involved in the metabolism of glycosaminoglycans, whereas DBH+ HSCs display a gene signature that is reminiscent of antigen-presenting cells. Conclusions This study highlights metabolic zonation as a key determinant of HEP transcriptomic heterogeneity and, for the first time, outlines the existence of heterogeneous HSC subpopulations in the human liver. These findings call for further research on the functional implications of liver cell heterogeneity in health and disease. Lay summary This study resolves the cellular landscape of the human liver in an unbiased manner and at high resolution to provide new insights into human liver cell biology. The results highlight the physiological heterogeneity of human hepatic stellate cells. A cell atlas from the near-native transcriptome of >25,000 human liver cells is presented. Hepatocytes were ordered along the portocentral axis to reveal previously undescribed gene expression patterns and zonated liver functions. Two subpopulations of human hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are reported, characterised by different spatial distribution in the native tissue. Characteristic gene signatures of HSC subpopulations are suggestive of far-reaching functional differences.
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Key Words
- BSA, bovine serum albumin
- CC, cholangiocyte
- CV, central vein
- DEG, differentially expressed gene
- EC, endothelial cell
- ECM, extracellular matrix
- Extracellular matrix
- FFPE, formaldehyde-fixed paraffin embedded
- GAG, glycosaminoglycan
- GEO, Gene Expression Omnibus
- GO, gene ontology
- HEP, hepatocyte
- HLA, human leukocyte antigen
- HRP, horseradish peroxidase
- HSC, hepatic stellate cell
- Hepatocyte
- ISH, in situ hybridisation
- KLR, killer lectin-like receptor
- LP, lymphoid cell
- Liver cell atlas
- MP, macrophage
- MZ, midzonal
- PC, pericentral
- PP, periportal
- PV, portal vein
- TBS, Tris buffered saline
- TSA, tyramide signal amplification
- UMAP, uniform manifold approximation and projection
- UMI, unique molecular identifier
- VIM, vimentin
- Zonation
- scRNA-seq, single-cell RNA-sequencing
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Affiliation(s)
- Valéry L. Payen
- Laboratory of Pediatric Hepatology and Cell Therapy (PEDI), IREC Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
- Laboratory of Advanced Drug Delivery and Biomaterials (ADDB), LDRI Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Arnaud Lavergne
- Genomics Platform, GIGA Institute, Université de Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Niki Alevra Sarika
- Laboratory of Pediatric Hepatology and Cell Therapy (PEDI), IREC Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
- Laboratory of Advanced Drug Delivery and Biomaterials (ADDB), LDRI Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Megan Colonval
- Genomics Platform, GIGA Institute, Université de Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Latifa Karim
- Genomics Platform, GIGA Institute, Université de Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Manon Deckers
- Genomics Platform, GIGA Institute, Université de Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Mustapha Najimi
- Laboratory of Pediatric Hepatology and Cell Therapy (PEDI), IREC Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Wouter Coppieters
- Genomics Platform, GIGA Institute, Université de Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | | | - Etienne M. Sokal
- Laboratory of Pediatric Hepatology and Cell Therapy (PEDI), IREC Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
- Corresponding authors. Address: Laboratory of Pediatric Hepatology and Cell Therapy (PEDI), IREC Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, Avenue Mounier 52 Box B1.52.03, 1200 Brussels, Belgium.
| | - Adil El Taghdouini
- Laboratory of Pediatric Hepatology and Cell Therapy (PEDI), IREC Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
- Corresponding authors. Address: Laboratory of Pediatric Hepatology and Cell Therapy (PEDI), IREC Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, Avenue Mounier 52 Box B1.52.03, 1200 Brussels, Belgium.
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Chembazhi UV, Bangru S, Hernaez M, Kalsotra A. Cellular plasticity balances the metabolic and proliferation dynamics of a regenerating liver. Genome Res 2021; 31:576-591. [PMID: 33649154 PMCID: PMC8015853 DOI: 10.1101/gr.267013.120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2020] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The adult liver has an exceptional ability to regenerate, but how it maintains its specialized functions during regeneration is unclear. Here, we used partial hepatectomy (PHx) in tandem with single-cell transcriptomics to track cellular transitions and heterogeneities of ∼22,000 liver cells through the initiation, progression, and termination phases of mouse liver regeneration. Our results uncovered that, following PHx, a subset of hepatocytes transiently reactivates an early-postnatal-like gene expression program to proliferate, while a distinct population of metabolically hyperactive cells appears to compensate for any temporary deficits in liver function. Cumulative EdU labeling and immunostaining of metabolic, portal, and central vein-specific markers revealed that hepatocyte proliferation after PHx initiates in the midlobular region before proceeding toward the periportal and pericentral areas. We further demonstrate that portal and central vein proximal hepatocytes retain their metabolically active state to preserve essential liver functions while midlobular cells proliferate nearby. Through combined analysis of gene regulatory networks and cell-cell interaction maps, we found that regenerating hepatocytes redeploy key developmental regulons, which are guided by extensive ligand-receptor-mediated signaling events between hepatocytes and nonparenchymal cells. Altogether, our study offers a detailed blueprint of the intercellular crosstalk and cellular reprogramming that balances the metabolic and proliferative requirements of a regenerating liver.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ullas V Chembazhi
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
| | - Sushant Bangru
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA.,Cancer Center@Illinois, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
| | - Mikel Hernaez
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA.,Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, Pamplona, 31008 Navarra, Spain
| | - Auinash Kalsotra
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA.,Cancer Center@Illinois, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA.,Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
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7
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Häussinger D, Kordes C. Space of Disse: a stem cell niche in the liver. Biol Chem 2020; 401:81-95. [PMID: 31318687 DOI: 10.1515/hsz-2019-0283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2019] [Accepted: 07/08/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Recent evidence indicates that the plasticity of preexisting hepatocytes and bile duct cells is responsible for the appearance of intermediate progenitor cells capable of restoring liver mass after injury without the need of a stem cell compartment. However, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) exist in all organs and are associated with blood vessels which represent their perivascular stem cell niche. MSCs are multipotent and can differentiate into several cell types and are known to support regenerative processes by the release of immunomodulatory and trophic factors. In the liver, the space of Disse constitutes a stem cell niche that harbors stellate cells as liver resident MSCs. This perivascular niche is created by extracellular matrix proteins, sinusoidal endothelial cells, liver parenchymal cells and sympathetic nerve endings and establishes a microenvironment that is suitable to maintain stellate cells and to control their fate. The stem cell niche integrity is important for the behavior of stellate cells in the normal, regenerative, aged and diseased liver. The niche character of the space of Disse may further explain why the liver can become an organ of extra-medullar hematopoiesis and why this organ is frequently prone to tumor metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dieter Häussinger
- Clinic of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Infectious Diseases, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Moorenstraße 5, D-40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Claus Kordes
- Clinic of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Infectious Diseases, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Moorenstraße 5, D-40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
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8
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Cole BK, Feaver RE, Wamhoff BR, Dash A. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) models in drug discovery. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2017; 13:193-205. [PMID: 29190166 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2018.1410135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The progressive disease spectrum of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which includes non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), is a rapidly emerging public health crisis with no approved therapy. The diversity of various therapies under development highlights the lack of consensus around the most effective target, underscoring the need for better translatable preclinical models to study the complex progressive disease and effective therapies. Areas covered: This article reviews published literature of various mouse models of NASH used in preclinical studies, as well as complex organotypic in vitro and ex vivo liver models being developed. It discusses translational challenges associated with both kinds of models, and describes some of the studies that validate their application in NAFLD. Expert opinion: Animal models offer advantages of understanding drug distribution and effects in a whole body context, but are limited by important species differences. Human organotypic in vitro and ex vivo models with physiological relevance and translatability need to be used in a tiered manner with simpler screens. Leveraging newer technologies, like metabolomics, proteomics, and transcriptomics, and the future development of validated disease biomarkers will allow us to fully utilize the value of these models to understand disease and evaluate novel drugs in isolation or combination.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Ajit Dash
- b Early Development Safety , Genentech Inc , South San Francisco , CA , USA
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9
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Liu Y, Pan X, Li S, Yu Y, Chen J, Yin J, Li G. Endoplasmic reticulum stress restrains hepatocyte growth factor expression in hepatic stellate cells and rat acute liver failure model. Chem Biol Interact 2017; 277:43-54. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cbi.2017.08.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2017] [Revised: 08/10/2017] [Accepted: 08/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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10
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Zaikina EI, Shafigullina AK, Titova AA, Burganova GR, Pevnev GO, Mavlikeev MO, Shahmardanova SA, Titova MA, Rizvanov AA, Gumerova AA, Kiassov AP. Native and Activated Hepatic Stellate Cells Stimulate Liver Regeneration in Rats After Partial Hepatectomy and 2-Acetylaminofluorene Injection. BIONANOSCIENCE 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s12668-016-0353-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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11
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Hepatic stellate cells: fibrogenic, regenerative or both? Heterogeneity and context are key. Hepatol Int 2016; 10:902-908. [PMID: 27578210 DOI: 10.1007/s12072-016-9758-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2016] [Accepted: 07/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Since their original identification, our understanding of the role of hepatic stellate cells in both health and disease continues to grow. Numerous studies have delineated the role of stellate cell activation in contributing to the pool of myofibroblasts responsible for liver fibrosis, and these have resulted in the development of a number of anti-fibrotic strategies targeting this cell. However, their potential role in liver regeneration, both initiation and termination, is also emerging and needs to be contemplated when considering targeted therapy. Perhaps what is most striking is the increasing recognition that this is not just one cell, but rather, a heterogenous population made up of a number of different subsets of cells, each with differentiated and specific functions. The tools are emerging for this dissection and are greatly needed to truly develop targeted therapies that will inhibit fibrosis while promoting liver regeneration and repair.
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12
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Ilangumaran S, Villalobos-Hernandez A, Bobbala D, Ramanathan S. The hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)–MET receptor tyrosine kinase signaling pathway: Diverse roles in modulating immune cell functions. Cytokine 2016; 82:125-39. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cyto.2015.12.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2015] [Revised: 12/11/2015] [Accepted: 12/12/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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Abstract
Liver fibrosis, a major characteristic of chronic liver disease, is inappropriate tissue remodeling caused by prolonged parenchymal cell injury and inflammation. During liver injury, hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) undergo transdifferentiation from quiescent HSCs into activated HSCs, which promote the deposition of extracellular matrix proteins, leading to liver fibrosis. Thymosin beta 4 (Tβ4), a major actin-sequestering protein, is the most abundant member of the highly conserved β-thymosin family and controls cell morphogenesis and motility by regulating the dynamics of the actin cytoskeleton. Tβ4 is known to be involved in various cellular responses, including antiinflammation, wound healing, angiogenesis, and cancer progression. Emerging evidence suggests that Tβ4 is expressed in the liver; however, its biological roles are poorly understood. Herein, we introduce liver fibrogenesis and recent findings regarding the function of Tβ4 in various tissues and discuss the potential role of Tβ4 in liver fibrosis with a special focus on the effects of exogenous and endogenous Tβ4. Recent studies have revealed that activated HSCs express Tβ4 in vivo and in vitro. Treatment with the exogenous Tβ4 peptide inhibits the proliferation and migration of activated HSCs and reduces liver fibrosis, indicating it has an antifibrotic action. Meanwhile, the endogenously expressed Tβ4 in activated HSCs is shown to promote HSCs activation. Although the role of Tβ4 has not been elucidated, it is apparent that Tβ4 is associated with HSC activation. Therefore, understanding the potential roles and regulatory mechanisms of Tβ4 in liver fibrosis may provide a novel treatment for patients.
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14
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Nakhaei-Rad S, Nakhaeizadeh H, Götze S, Kordes C, Sawitza I, Hoffmann MJ, Franke M, Schulz WA, Scheller J, Piekorz RP, Häussinger D, Ahmadian MR. The Role of Embryonic Stem Cell-expressed RAS (ERAS) in the Maintenance of Quiescent Hepatic Stellate Cells. J Biol Chem 2016; 291:8399-413. [PMID: 26884329 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m115.700088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) were recently identified as liver-resident mesenchymal stem cells. HSCs are activated after liver injury and involved in pivotal processes, such as liver development, immunoregulation, regeneration, and also fibrogenesis. To date, several studies have reported candidate pathways that regulate the plasticity of HSCs during physiological and pathophysiological processes. Here we analyzed the expression changes and activity of the RAS family GTPases and thereby investigated the signaling networks of quiescent HSCs versus activated HSCs. For the first time, we report that embryonic stem cell-expressed RAS (ERAS) is specifically expressed in quiescent HSCs and down-regulated during HSC activation via promoter DNA methylation. Notably, in quiescent HSCs, the high level of ERAS protein correlates with the activation of AKT, STAT3, mTORC2, and HIPPO signaling pathways and inactivation of FOXO1 and YAP. Our data strongly indicate that in quiescent HSCs, ERAS targets AKT via two distinct pathways driven by PI3Kα/δ and mTORC2, whereas in activated HSCs, RAS signaling shifts to RAF-MEK-ERK. Thus, in contrast to the reported role of ERAS in tumor cells associated with cell proliferation, our findings indicate that ERAS is important to maintain quiescence in HSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saeideh Nakhaei-Rad
- From the Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology II, Medical Faculty
| | | | - Silke Götze
- the Clinic of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Infectious Diseases, and
| | - Claus Kordes
- the Clinic of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Infectious Diseases, and
| | - Iris Sawitza
- the Clinic of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Infectious Diseases, and
| | - Michèle J Hoffmann
- the Department of Urology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine University, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Manuel Franke
- From the Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology II, Medical Faculty
| | - Wolfgang A Schulz
- the Department of Urology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine University, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Jürgen Scheller
- From the Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology II, Medical Faculty
| | - Roland P Piekorz
- From the Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology II, Medical Faculty
| | - Dieter Häussinger
- the Clinic of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Infectious Diseases, and
| | - Mohammad R Ahmadian
- From the Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology II, Medical Faculty,
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15
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Baldeón Rojas L, Weigelt K, de Wit H, Ozcan B, van Oudenaren A, Sempértegui F, Sijbrands E, Grosse L, van Zonneveld AJ, Drexhage HA, Leenen PJM. Study on inflammation-related genes and microRNAs, with special emphasis on the vascular repair factor HGF and miR-574-3p, in monocytes and serum of patients with T2D. Diabetol Metab Syndr 2016; 8:6. [PMID: 26779287 PMCID: PMC4714426 DOI: 10.1186/s13098-015-0113-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2015] [Accepted: 12/19/2015] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recently, we reported signs of inflammation (raised IL-8, reduced miR-146a) and signs of vascular repair (raised HGF) in the serum of Ecuadorian patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). In contrast, we found that the circulating monocytes lacked up-regulation of classical inflammatory genes (IL-1B, IL-6, and TNF) and there was even significant down-regulation of PTGS2. Notably, genes and a microRNA involved in adhesion, cell differentiation and morphology (CD9, DHRS3, PTPN7 and miR-34c-5p) were up-regulated in the T2D monocytes, suggesting a role of the anti-inflammatory cells in adhesion, vascular repair and invasion. AIM To determine the gene expression of the vascular repair factor HGF in the circulating monocytes of patients with T2D and to investigate the relationship between HGF and the expression of the other previously tested monocyte genes and the contribution to the raised serum level of HGF. In addition, we tested the level of 6 microRNAs, which were previously found abnormal in the circulating monocytes, in the serum of the patients. METHODS A gene and microRNA expression study in monocytes and serum of 64 Ecuadorian patients with T2D (37-85 years) and 44 non-diabetic controls (32-87 years). RESULTS The gene expression of HGF was significantly raised in the monocytes of the patients with T2D and associated with the expression of genes involved in adhesion, cell differentiation and morphology. HGF gene expression did not correlate with the serum level of HGF. The monocyte expression of pro-inflammatory cytokine genes was also not associated with the serum levels of these cytokines. The level of miR-574-3p was significantly decreased in the serum of the patients with T2D, and correlated in expression with the decreased well-established inflammation-regulating miR-146a. The level of the microRNAs in serum did not correlate with their expression level in monocytes. CONCLUSION In circulating monocytes of Ecuadorian T2D patients, the microRNA and gene expression of important inflammatory/chemotactic/motility/vascular repair factors differs from the expression in serum. While monocytes show a gene expression profile compatible with an anti-inflammatory state, serum shows a molecular profile compatible with an inflammatory state. Both compartments show molecular signs of vascular repair support, i.e. up-regulated HGF levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucy Baldeón Rojas
- />Department of Immunology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- />Department of Immunology, Central University of Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Karin Weigelt
- />Department of Immunology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Harm de Wit
- />Department of Immunology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Behiye Ozcan
- />Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | | | - Eric Sijbrands
- />Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Laura Grosse
- />Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | | | - Hemmo A. Drexhage
- />Department of Immunology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- />Prometeo Program SENESCYT, Central University of Ecuador and Universidad de las Fuerzas Armadas, Quito, Ecuador
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16
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Takagi T, Yokoyama Y, Kokuryo T, Yamaguchi J, Nagino M. Liver regeneration following experimental major hepatectomy with choledochojejunostomy. Br J Surg 2015; 102:1410-7. [PMID: 26312457 DOI: 10.1002/bjs.9908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2014] [Accepted: 06/30/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Surgical treatment for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma frequently involves hepatectomy and extrahepatic bile duct resection with a choledochojejunostomy (CJ). Cholangitis owing to bilioenteric anastomosis is a common complication. The impact of CJ or regurgitating cholangitis on the liver regeneration process after major hepatectomy is unknown. METHODS Rats underwent 70 per cent hepatectomy (Hx group) or hepatectomy with CJ (Hx + CJ group). The intrahepatic inflammatory response, hepatic regeneration rate, and expression of regeneration-associated genes in the liver and blood were compared between these two groups. RESULTS Levels of hepatobiliary markers in the blood were significantly higher 4 and 7 days after operation in the Hx + CJ group than the Hx group. Intrahepatic expression of inflammation-associated genes, such as interleukin 6 and tumour necrosis factor α, was also significantly higher in the Hx + CJ group on days 4 and 7. A progressive periportal inflammatory response was identified in the Hx + CJ group by histological examination. The hepatic regeneration rate was significantly lower in the Hx + CJ group than in the Hx group on day 2 (mean(s.d.) 14·2(6·3) versus 21·4(2·6) per cent; P = 0·013) and day 4 (32·4(5·3) versus 41·3(4·4) per cent; P = 0·004). Gene expression levels of hepatic regeneration-promoting factors such as hepatocyte growth factor were significantly lower in the Hx + CJ group than the Hx group on day 1. CONCLUSION CJ perturbs early liver regeneration after hepatectomy. An excessive inflammatory response in the liver and suppression of liver regeneration-associated factors may play a role. Surgical relevance Patients with perihilar cholangiocarcinoma may need major hepatectomy with extrahepatic bile duct resection and choledochojejunostomy. This carries a substantial risk of postoperative complications including liver failure. A rat model of partial hepatectomy with choledochojejunostomy was established. The molecular mechanisms underlying liver regeneration, and perturbation of this process by duodenobiliary reflux via the choledochojejunostomy, are described. The results give insight into the pathophysiological events following major hepatectomy with extrahepatic bile duct resection and choledochojejunostomy. This may help to develop a treatment strategy to reduce postoperative liver failure.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Takagi
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan 466-8550
| | - Y Yokoyama
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan 466-8550
| | - T Kokuryo
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan 466-8550
| | - J Yamaguchi
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan 466-8550
| | - M Nagino
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan 466-8550
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17
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Potential role of thymosin Beta 4 in liver fibrosis. Int J Mol Sci 2015; 16:10624-35. [PMID: 26006229 PMCID: PMC4463665 DOI: 10.3390/ijms160510624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2015] [Revised: 04/30/2015] [Accepted: 05/04/2015] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Liver fibrosis, the main characteristic of chronic liver diseases, is strongly associated with the activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), which are responsible for extracellular matrix production. As such, investigating the effective regulators controlling HSC activation provides important clues for developing therapeutics to inhibit liver fibrosis. Thymosin beta 4 (Tβ4), a major actin-sequestering protein, is known to be involved in various cellular responses. A growing body of evidence suggests that Tβ4 has a potential role in the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis and that it is especially associated with the activation of HSCs. However, it remains unclear whether Tβ4 promotes or suppresses the activation of HSCs. Herein, we review the potential role of Tβ4 in liver fibrosis by describing the effects of exogenous and endogenous Tβ4, and we discuss the possible signaling pathway regulated by Tβ4. Exogenous Tβ4 reduces liver fibrosis by inhibiting the proliferation and migration of HSCs. Tβ4 is expressed endogenously in the activated HSCs, but this endogenous Tβ4 displays opposite effects in HSC activation, either as an activator or an inhibitor. Although the role of Tβ4 has not been established, it is apparent that Tβ4 influences HSC activation, suggesting that Tβ4 is a potential therapeutic target for treating liver diseases.
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18
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Abstract
Hepatic stellate cells are resident perisinusoidal cells distributed throughout the liver, with a remarkable range of functions in normal and injured liver. Derived embryologically from septum transversum mesenchyme, their precursors include submesothelial cells that invade the liver parenchyma from the hepatic capsule. In normal adult liver, their most characteristic feature is the presence of cytoplasmic perinuclear droplets that are laden with retinyl (vitamin A) esters. Normal stellate cells display several patterns of intermediate filaments expression (e.g., desmin, vimentin, and/or glial fibrillary acidic protein) suggesting that there are subpopulations within this parental cell type. In the normal liver, stellate cells participate in retinoid storage, vasoregulation through endothelial cell interactions, extracellular matrix homeostasis, drug detoxification, immunotolerance, and possibly the preservation of hepatocyte mass through secretion of mitogens including hepatocyte growth factor. During liver injury, stellate cells activate into alpha smooth muscle actin-expressing contractile myofibroblasts, which contribute to vascular distortion and increased vascular resistance, thereby promoting portal hypertension. Other features of stellate cell activation include mitogen-mediated proliferation, increased fibrogenesis driven by connective tissue growth factor, and transforming growth factor beta 1, amplified inflammation and immunoregulation, and altered matrix degradation. Evolving areas of interest in stellate cell biology seek to understand mechanisms of their clearance during fibrosis resolution by either apoptosis, senescence, or reversion, and their contribution to hepatic stem cell amplification, regeneration, and hepatocellular cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan E Puche
- Division of Liver Diseases, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, New York, New York
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19
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Abstract
Liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy is the only example of a regenerative process in mammals in which the organ/body weight ratio returns to 100% of the original when the process is complete. The adjustment of liver weight to the needs of the body suggests a complicated set of control points, a 'hepatostat'. There has been much progress in elucidation of mechanisms involved in initiation of liver regeneration. More recent studies have focused on termination pathways, because these may be the underlying controls of the hepatostat and their elimination may be relevant to hepatic neoplasia. When the standard regenerative process is thwarted due to failure of either hepatocytes or biliary epithelial cells to proliferate, each of the two epithelial compartments can function as a source of facultative stem cells for the other.
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Affiliation(s)
- George K Michalopoulos
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Bioscience Tower South, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
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20
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Tivers MS, Lipscomb VJ, Smith KC, Wheeler-Jones CP, House AK. Markers of hepatic regeneration associated with surgical attenuation of congenital portosystemic shunts in dogs. Vet J 2014; 200:305-11. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2014.02.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2013] [Revised: 02/10/2014] [Accepted: 02/14/2014] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
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Abstract
Liver regeneration is perhaps the most studied example of compensatory growth aimed to replace loss of tissue in an organ. Hepatocytes, the main functional cells of the liver, manage to proliferate to restore mass and to simultaneously deliver all functions hepatic functions necessary to maintain body homeostasis. They are the first cells to respond to regenerative stimuli triggered by mitogenic growth factor receptors MET (the hepatocyte growth factor receptor] and epidermal growth factor receptor and complemented by auxiliary mitogenic signals induced by other cytokines. Termination of liver regeneration is a complex process affected by integrin mediated signaling and it restores the organ to its original mass as determined by the needs of the body (hepatostat function). When hepatocytes cannot proliferate, progenitor cells derived from the biliary epithelium transdifferentiate to restore the hepatocyte compartment. In a reverse situation, hepatocytes can also transdifferentiate to restore the biliary compartment. Several hormones and xenobiotics alter the hepatostat directly and induce an increase in liver to body weight ratio (augmentative hepatomegaly). The complex challenges of the liver toward body homeostasis are thus always preserved by complex but unfailing responses involving orchestrated signaling and affecting growth and differentiation of all hepatic cell types.
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Affiliation(s)
- George K Michalopoulos
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
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22
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Clinical significance of serum hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) levels in hepatocellular carcinoma. Tumour Biol 2013; 35:2327-33. [PMID: 24142532 DOI: 10.1007/s13277-013-1308-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2013] [Accepted: 10/08/2013] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the commonest primary malignant cancer of the liver in the world. This study was conducted to investigate the serum levels of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)in HCC patients and the relationship with tumor progression and known prognostic parameters. Fifty-four patients with HCC were investigated. Pretreatment HGF levels were employed the quantitative sandwich enzyme immunoassay technique (ELISA). Age and sex matched 20 healthy controls were included in the analysis. The median age of the patients was 60 years (range 36-77 years); where males consistituted of majority of the group (88.8%). All of patients had cirrhotic history. Fourty-six percent (n = 25) of patients had Child-Pugh Score A, 30% (n = 16) had Score B or C. All of the patients were treated with local therapies but none of them received sorafenib. The baseline serum HGF levels were significantly higher in patients with HCC than in the control group (p < 0.001). Male patients had higher serum HGF levels compared with female patients (p = 0.01). Serum HGF levels were significantly higher in the patients with elevated serum ALT levels than others with normal serum ALT levels (p = 0.05). Poor performance status (p < 0.001), viral etiology of cirrhosis (p = 0.03), larger tumor size (p = 0.01), lower serum hemogloblin levels (p = 0.03), and not be treated for HCC (p = 0.001) related to worse survival. However, serum HGF did not have significantly adverse effect on survival (p = 0.58). Despite serum HGF levels were found diagnostic value, serum HGF levels had no prognostic value in patients with HCC.
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23
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Abstract
Stem cell niches are special microenvironments that maintain stem cells and control their behavior to ensure tissue homeostasis and regeneration throughout life. The liver has a high regenerative capacity that involves stem/progenitor cells when the proliferation of hepatocytes is impaired. In recent years progress has been made in the identification of potential hepatic stem cell niches. There is evidence that hepatic progenitor cells can originate from niches in the canals of Hering; in addition, the space of Disse may also serve as a stem cell niche during fetal hematopoiesis and constitute a niche for stellate cells in adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claus Kordes
- Clinic of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Infectious Diseases, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
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24
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Shmarakov IO, Jiang H, Yang KJZ, Goldberg IJ, Blaner WS. Hepatic retinoid stores are required for normal liver regeneration. J Lipid Res 2013; 54:893-908. [PMID: 23349206 DOI: 10.1194/jlr.m029801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Preliminary studies of liver regeneration induced by partial hepatectomy (PHE) identified a substantial depletion of hepatic retinoid stores, by greater than 70%, in regenerating livers of wild-type C57Bl/6J mice. To understand this, we compared responses of wild-type and lecithin:retinol acyltransferase (Lrat)-deficient mice, which totally lack hepatic retinoid stores, to PHE. The Lrat-deficient livers showed delayed regeneration in the first 24 h after PHE. At 12 h after PHE, we observed significantly less mRNA expression for growth factors and cytokines implicated in regulating the priming phase of liver regeneration, specifically for Hgf and Tgfα, but not Tgfβ. Compared with wild-type mice, the changes in mRNA levels for p21 and cyclins E1, B1, and A2 mRNAs and for hepatocellular BrdU incorporation and mitoses were delayed (i.e., shifted to later times) in regenerating Lrat(-/-) livers. Concentrations of all-trans-retinoic acid were significantly lower in the livers of Lrat(-/-) mice following PHE, and this was accompanied by diminished expression of known retinoid-responsive genes. At later times after PHE, the rate of liver weight restoration for Lrat(-/-) mice was parallel to that of wild-type mice, although additional biochemical differences were observed. Thus, hepatic retinoid stores are required for maintaining expression of signaling molecules that regulate cell proliferation and differentiation immediately after hepatic injury, accounting for the delayed restoration of liver mass in Lrat(-/-) mice.
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25
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Kang LI, Mars WM, Michalopoulos GK. Signals and cells involved in regulating liver regeneration. Cells 2012; 1:1261-92. [PMID: 24710554 PMCID: PMC3901148 DOI: 10.3390/cells1041261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2012] [Revised: 11/27/2012] [Accepted: 12/07/2012] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Liver regeneration is a complex phenomenon aimed at maintaining a constant liver mass in the event of injury resulting in loss of hepatic parenchyma. Partial hepatectomy is followed by a series of events involving multiple signaling pathways controlled by mitogenic growth factors (HGF, EGF) and their receptors (MET and EGFR). In addition multiple cytokines and other signaling molecules contribute to the orchestration of a signal which drives hepatocytes into DNA synthesis. The other cell types of the liver receive and transmit to hepatocytes complex signals so that, in the end of the regenerative process, complete hepatic tissue is assembled and regeneration is terminated at the proper time and at the right liver size. If hepatocytes fail to participate in this process, the biliary compartment is mobilized to generate populations of progenitor cells which transdifferentiate into hepatocytes and restore liver size.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang-I Kang
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA.
| | - Wendy M Mars
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA.
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26
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Kim Y, Fiel MI, Albanis E, Chou HI, Zhang W, Khitrov G, Friedman SL. Anti-fibrotic activity and enhanced interleukin-6 production by hepatic stellate cells in response to imatinib mesylate. Liver Int 2012; 32:1008-17. [PMID: 22507133 PMCID: PMC3370152 DOI: 10.1111/j.1478-3231.2012.02806.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2011] [Accepted: 03/14/2012] [Indexed: 02/13/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To examine imatinib mesylate's effects on stellate cell responses in vivo and in vitro. The hepatic stellate cell (HSC) is a key target of anti-fibrotic therapies. Imatinib mesylate is a small molecule receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor indicated for treatment of chronic myelogenous leukaemia and GI stromal tumours. DESIGN Because imatinib inhibits β-PDGFR signalling, which stimulates HSC proliferation, we assessed its activity in culture and in vivo, and examined downstream targets in a human stellate cell line (LX-2) using cDNA microarray. METHODS AND RESULTS Imatinib inhibited proliferation of LX-2 cells (0.5-10 mM) but not primary human stellate cells, with no effect on viability, associated with attenuated β-PDGFR phosphorylation. Mitochondrial activity and superoxide anion production were decreased in response to imatinib. cDNA microarray uncovered up-regulation of 29 genes in response to imatinib, including interleukin-6 (IL-6) mRNA, which was correlated with progressive IL-6 secretion. Imatinib also decreased gene expression of collagen α(1) (I), alpha smooth muscle actin, β-PDGFR, transforming growth factor β receptor type 1, matrix metalloproteinase 2 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 2. In vivo, imatinib administered to rats beginning 4 weeks after starting thioacetamide (TAA) led to reduced collagen content, with significant reductions in portal pressure and down-regulation of fibrogenic genes in whole liver. Importantly, hepatic IL-6 mRNA levels were significantly increased in TAA-treated animals receiving imatinib. CONCLUSIONS These findings reinforce the anti-fibrotic activity of imatinib and uncover an unexpected link between inhibition of HSC activation by imatinib and enhanced secretion of IL-6, a regenerative cytokine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youngchul Kim
- Division of Liver Diseases, Department of Medicine, The Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY,College of Oriental Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Maria Isabel Fiel
- Department of Pathology, The Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY
| | - Efsevia Albanis
- Division of Liver Diseases, Department of Medicine, The Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY
| | - Hsin I Chou
- Division of Liver Diseases, Department of Medicine, The Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY
| | - Weijia Zhang
- Bioinformatics Laboratory, Department of Medicine, The Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY
| | - Gregory Khitrov
- Life Sciences Technology Laboratory Department of Medicine, The Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY
| | - Scott L. Friedman
- Division of Liver Diseases, Department of Medicine, The Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY
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27
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Dash A, Blackman BR, Wamhoff BR. Organotypic systems in drug metabolism and toxicity: challenges and opportunities. Expert Opin Drug Metab Toxicol 2012; 8:999-1014. [DOI: 10.1517/17425255.2012.693161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
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Chen L, Zhang W, Zhou QD, Yang HQ, Liang HF, Zhang BX, Long X, Chen XP. HSCs play a distinct role in different phases of oval cell-mediated liver regeneration. Cell Biochem Funct 2012; 30:588-96. [PMID: 22535704 DOI: 10.1002/cbf.2838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2011] [Revised: 03/07/2012] [Accepted: 04/11/2012] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lin Chen
- Hepatic Surgery Centre, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College; Huazhong University of Science and Technology; Wuhan; China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Hepatic Surgery Centre, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College; Huazhong University of Science and Technology; Wuhan; China
| | - Qiao-dan Zhou
- Department of Nephrology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College; Huazhong University of Science and Technology; Wuhan; China
| | | | - Hui-fang Liang
- Hepatic Surgery Centre, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College; Huazhong University of Science and Technology; Wuhan; China
| | - Bi-xiang Zhang
- Hepatic Surgery Centre, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College; Huazhong University of Science and Technology; Wuhan; China
| | - Xin Long
- Hepatic Surgery Centre, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College; Huazhong University of Science and Technology; Wuhan; China
| | - Xiao-ping Chen
- Hepatic Surgery Centre, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College; Huazhong University of Science and Technology; Wuhan; China
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29
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Vidyashankar S, Varma SR, Azeemudin M, Godavarthi A, Krishna NS, Patki PS. A novel herbal formulation "LiverCare" differentially regulates primary rat hepatocyte and hepatocarcinoma cell proliferation in vitro. J Med Food 2011; 14:1023-31. [PMID: 21812649 DOI: 10.1089/jmf.2010.1338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) plays an important role in hepatocyte proliferation. HGF expression is regulated by various signaling molecules and nuclear receptors. In the present study, LiverCare(®) (LC), a novel polyherbal formulation (The Himalaya Drug Company, Bangalore, India), was evaluated for its efficacy, using co-cultures of primary rat hepatocytes-non-parenchymal cells (NPCs) and human hepatocellular carcinoma cells (HepG2). The rate of primary hepatocyte co-culture proliferation was significantly and dose-dependently increased by LC as determined by [(3)H]thymidine incorporation into newly synthesized DNA and cell proliferation assay. LC also increased HGF expression in primary hepatocyte co-culture. Albumin and urea content remained constant during proliferation of hepatocyte co-cultures in the presence of LC with decreased activity of alanine aminotransferase. It is interesting that LC inhibited incorporation of [(3)H]thymidine into DNA in HepG2 cells. LC enhanced peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α expression during hepatocyte proliferation, whereas tumor necrosis factor-α expression remained unaffected. In conclusion, our study clearly showed that LC differentially regulates primary rat hepatocytes and human hepatocarcinoma cell proliferation. LC may be a promising candidate for treating degenerative liver diseases by enhancing liver regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satyakumar Vidyashankar
- Department of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, The Himalaya Drug Company, Makali, Bangalore, India.
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30
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Abu-Absi SF, Hansen LK, Hu WS. Three-dimensional co-culture of hepatocytes and stellate cells. Cytotechnology 2011; 45:125-40. [PMID: 19003250 DOI: 10.1007/s10616-004-7996-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2004] [Accepted: 12/21/2004] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocytes self-assemble in culture to form compacted spherical aggregates, or spheroids, that mimic the structure of the liver by forming tight junctions and bile canalicular channels. Hepatocyte spheroids thus resemble the liver to a great extent. However, liver tissue contains other cell types and has bile ducts and sinusoids formed by endothelial cells. Reproducing 3-D co-culture in vitro could provide a means to develop a more complex tissue-like structure. Stellate cells participate in revascularization after liver injury by excreting between hepatocytes a laminin trail that endothelial cells follow to form sinusoids. In this study we investigated co-culture of rat hepatocytes and a rat hepatic stellate cell line, HSC-T6. HSC-T6, which does not grow in serum-free spheroid medium, was able to grow under co-culture conditions. Using a three-dimensional cell tracking technique, the interactions of HSC-T6 and hepatocyte spheroids were visualized. The two cell types formed heterospheroids in culture, and HSC-T6 cell invasion into hepatocyte spheroids and subsequent retraction was observed. RT-PCR revealed that albumin and cytochrome P450 2B1/2 expression were better maintained in co-culture conditions. These three-dimensional heterospheroids provide an attractive system for in vitro studies of hepatocyte-stellate cell interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan Fugett Abu-Absi
- Departments of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota, 55455-0132, Minneapolis, MN, USA
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Watanabe K, Yokoyama Y, Kokuryo T, Kawai K, Kitagawa T, Seki T, Nakagawa A, Nagino M. Segmental cholangitis impairs hepatic regeneration capacity after partial hepatectomy in rats. HPB (Oxford) 2010; 12:664-73. [PMID: 21083791 PMCID: PMC3003476 DOI: 10.1111/j.1477-2574.2010.00229.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma or hepatolithiasis often develop segmental cholangitis (SC), but it is unclear whether hepatectomy for patients with SC can be performed safely. METHODS Rats were subjected to segmental bile duct ligation (SBDL) with LPS (SC group) or a saline (Sham group) infusion into the bile duct of the ligated lobes. The rats were sacrificed at 3, 24 and 48 h after the SBDL. For another experiment, the rats were subjected to partial hepatectomy (PHx) for the ligated lobes. Hepatic regeneration rates and the expression of regeneration-associated genes were evaluated. RESULTS In the SC group, severe parenchymal damage was observed in the acute phase (3 h). Altered gene expression in the liver in response to biliary infection occurred not only in the infected lobes but also in the non-infected lobes. In the rats of the SC group, both the hepatic regeneration rate and serum HGF levels were significantly lower than in the Sham group. CONCLUSION These results clearly demonstrate that SC impairs the regeneration capacity of the contralateral remnant liver. Therefore, hepatectomy should be avoided for patients with SC even if it occurs in the part of the liver to be resected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katsutaka Watanabe
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
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Sánchez A, Fabregat I. Growth factor- and cytokine-driven pathways governing liver stemness and differentiation. World J Gastroenterol 2010; 16:5148-61. [PMID: 21049549 PMCID: PMC2975086 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v16.i41.5148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Liver is unique in its capacity to regenerate in response to injury or tissue loss. Hepatocytes and other liver cells are able to proliferate and repopulate the liver. However, when this response is impaired, the contribution of hepatic progenitors becomes very relevant. Here, we present an update of recent studies on growth factors and cytokine-driven intracellular pathways that govern liver stem/progenitor cell expansion and differentiation, and the relevance of these signals in liver development, regeneration and carcinogenesis. Tyrosine kinase receptor signaling, in particular, c-Met, epidermal growth factor receptors or fibroblast growth factor receptors, contribute to proliferation, survival and differentiation of liver stem/progenitor cells. Different evidence suggests a dual role for the transforming growth factor (TGF)-β signaling pathway in liver stemness and differentiation. On the one hand, TGF-β mediates progression of differentiation from a progenitor stage, but on the other hand, it contributes to the expansion of liver stem cells. Hedgehog family ligands are necessary to promote hepatoblast proliferation but need to be shut off to permit subsequent hepatoblast differentiation. In the same line, the Wnt family and β-catenin/T-cell factor pathway is clearly involved in the maintenance of liver stemness phenotype, and its repression is necessary for liver differentiation during development. Collectively, data indicate that liver stem/progenitor cells follow their own rules and regulations. The same signals that are essential for their activation, expansion and differentiation are good candidates to contribute, under adequate conditions, to the paradigm of transformation from a pro-regenerative to a pro-tumorigenic role. From a clinical perspective, this is a fundamental issue for liver stem/progenitor cell-based therapies.
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Cao Y, Dai CL, Xu F. Advances in understanding the mechanisms of impaired hepatic regeneration in patients with obstructive jaundice. Shijie Huaren Xiaohua Zazhi 2010; 18:3210-3214. [DOI: 10.11569/wcjd.v18.i30.3210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The regenerative capacity of the liver is extraordinary. However, it has been observed preoperatively in some patients, such as those with hilar cholangiocarcinoma, that obstructive jaundice may affect hepatocyte proliferation and even cause hepatic failure after hepatectomy. The extent of impaired hepatic regeneration caused by biliary obstruction may determine whether surgical treatment should be conducted. Nowadays, the mechanisms of impaired hepatic regeneration in patients with obstructive jaundice have been studied extensively. The possible mechanisms include restricted portal venous flow, increased hepatocyte apoptosis, and altered expression of liver regeneration-associated factors. Thus, regulation of these factors might have beneficial effects on liver regeneration after hepatectomy in patients with obstructive jaundice.
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Michalopoulos GK. Liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy: critical analysis of mechanistic dilemmas. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY 2009; 176:2-13. [PMID: 20019184 DOI: 10.2353/ajpath.2010.090675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 536] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy is one of the most studied models of cell, organ, and tissue regeneration. The complexity of the signaling pathways initiating and terminating this process have provided paradigms for regenerative medicine. Many aspects of the signaling mechanisms involved in hepatic regeneration are under active investigation. The purpose of this review is to focus on the areas still not well understood. The review also aims to provide insights into the ways by which current concepts of liver regeneration can provide understanding regarding malfunction of the regenerative process in liver diseases, such as acute liver failure.
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Affiliation(s)
- George K Michalopoulos
- University of Pittsburgh, Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, S-410 Biomedical Science Tower, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA.
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Dash A, Inman W, Hoffmaster K, Sevidal S, Kelly J, Obach RS, Griffith LG, Tannenbaum SR. Liver tissue engineering in the evaluation of drug safety. Expert Opin Drug Metab Toxicol 2009; 5:1159-74. [PMID: 19637986 PMCID: PMC4110978 DOI: 10.1517/17425250903160664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 128] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Assessment of drug-liver interactions is an integral part of predicting the safety profile of new drugs. Existing model systems range from in vitro cell culture models to FDA-mandated animal tests. Data from these models often fail, however, to predict human liver toxicity, resulting in costly failures of clinical trials. In vitro screens based on cultured hepatocytes are now commonly used in early stages of development, but many toxic responses in vivo seem to be mediated by a complex interplay among several different cell types. We discuss some of the evolving trends in liver cell culture systems applied to drug safety assessment and describe an experimental model that captures complex liver physiology through incorporation of heterotypic cell-cell interactions, 3D architecture and perfused flow. We demonstrate how heterotypic interactions in this system can be manipulated to recreate an inflammatory environment and apply the model to test compounds that potentially exhibit idiosyncratic drug toxicity. Finally, we provide a perspective on how the range of existing and emerging in vitro liver culture approaches, from simple to complex, might serve needs across the range of stages in drug discovery and development, including applications in molecular therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ajit Dash
- Underwood-Prescott Professor of Toxicology and Chemistry, Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Office 56-731A, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Walker Inman
- Underwood-Prescott Professor of Toxicology and Chemistry, Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Office 56-731A, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Keith Hoffmaster
- Novartis Institute of Biomedical Research, 350 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts, MA 02139, USA
| | - Samantha Sevidal
- Pfizer Research Technology Center, Cambridge, Massachusetts, MA 02139, USA
| | - Joan Kelly
- Pfizer Research Technology Center, Cambridge, Massachusetts, MA 02139, USA
| | - R Scott Obach
- Pfizer Research Technology Center, Cambridge, Massachusetts, MA 02139, USA
| | - Linda G Griffith
- Underwood-Prescott Professor of Toxicology and Chemistry, Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Office 56-731A, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Steven R Tannenbaum
- Underwood-Prescott Professor of Toxicology and Chemistry, Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Office 56-731A, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
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Tasaki M, Umemura T, Kijima A, Inoue T, Okamura T, Kuroiwa Y, Ishii Y, Nishikawa A. Simultaneous induction of non-neoplastic and neoplastic lesions with highly proliferative hepatocytes following dietary exposure of rats to tocotrienol for 2 years. Arch Toxicol 2009; 83:1021-30. [PMID: 19669731 DOI: 10.1007/s00204-009-0461-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2009] [Accepted: 07/27/2009] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
It was recently shown that 1-year chronic exposure of rats to tocotrienol (TT) induced highly proliferative liver lesions, nodular hepatocellular hyperplasia (NHH), and independently increased the number of glutathione S-transferase placental form (GST-P)-positive hepatocytes. Focusing attention on the pathological intrinsic property of NHH, a 104-week carcinogenicity study was performed in male and female Wistar Hannover rats given TT at concentrations of 0, 0.4 or 2% in the diet. The high-dose level was adjusted to 1% in both sexes from week 51 because the survival rate of the high-dose males dropped to 42% by week 50. At necropsy, multiple cyst-like nodules were observed, as in the chronic study, but were further enlarged in size, which consequently formed a protuberant surface with a partly pedunculated shape in the liver at the high dose in both sexes. Unlike the chronic study, NHH was not always accompanied by spongiosis, and instead angiectasis was prominent in some nodules. However, several findings in the affected hepatocytes such as minimal atypia, no GST-P immunoreactivity and heterogeneous proliferation, implied that NHH did not harbor neoplastic characteristics from increased exposure despite sustained high cell proliferation. On the other hand, in the high-dose females, the incidence of hepatocellular adenomas was significantly higher than in the control. There was no TT treatment-related tumor induction in any other organs besides the liver. Thus, the overall data clearly suggested that NHH is successively enlarged by further long-term exposure to TT, but does not become neoplastic. In contrast, TT induces low levels of hepatocellular adenomas in female rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masako Tasaki
- Division of Pathology, National Institute of Health Sciences, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 158-8501, Japan
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Kubota H, Yao HL, Reid LM. Identification and Characterization of Vitamin A-Storing Cells in Fetal Liver: Implications for Functional Importance of Hepatic Stellate Cells in Liver Development and Hematopoiesis. Stem Cells 2009; 25:2339-49. [PMID: 17585172 DOI: 10.1634/stemcells.2006-0316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Hepatic stellate cells (HpSTCs) are major regulators of hepatic fibrogenesis in adults. However, their early development in fetal liver is largely unknown. To characterize fetal HpSTCs in the liver, in which hepatic development and hematopoiesis occur in parallel, we determined the phenotypic characteristics of HpSTCs from rat fetal livers, using a strategy focused on vitamin A. Storage of vitamin A in the cytoplasm is a unique characteristic of HpSTCs, permitting identification of them by vitamin A-specific autofluorescence (vA+) when excited with UV light using flow cytometry. A characteristic vA+ cell population was identified in liver as early as 13 days post coitum; it had a surface phenotype of RT1A- intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1+ vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM)-1+ beta3-integrin+. Although nonspecific autofluorescent cells were found with the antigenic profile of RT1A- ICAM-1+ VCAM-1+, they were beta3-integrin- and proved to be hepatoblasts, bipotent hepatic parenchymal progenitors. In addition to expression of classic HpSTC markers, the vA+ cells were able to proliferate continuously in a serum-free hormonally defined medium containing leukemia inhibitory factor, which was found to be a key factor for their replication. These results demonstrated that the vA+ cells are fetal HpSTCs with extensive proliferative activity. Furthermore, the vA+ cells strongly express hepatocyte growth factor, stromal-derived factor-1alpha, and Hlx (homeobox transcription factor), indicating that they play important roles for hepatic development and hematopoiesis. The abilities to isolate and expand fetal HpSTCs enable further investigation into their roles in early liver development and facilitate identification of possibly novel signals of potential relevance for liver diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroshi Kubota
- Department of Cell and Molecular Physiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
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Dudas J, Mansuroglu T, Batusic D, Ramadori G. Thy-1 is expressed in myofibroblasts but not found in hepatic stellate cells following liver injury. Histochem Cell Biol 2008; 131:115-27. [PMID: 18797914 DOI: 10.1007/s00418-008-0503-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/31/2008] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Thy-1 (CD90) is an adhesion molecule induced in fibroblast populations associated with wound healing and fibrosis. In this study the question whether Thy-1-gene-expression can be induced in hepatic stellate cells (HSC) in vivo, under conditions of liver injury or liver regeneration was addressed. Acute and chronic rat liver injury was induced by the administration of CCl4. For comparison, cirrhotic human liver, and rat 67% partial hepatectomy (PH) was studied as well. Thy-1-gene-expression was examined also in isolated human liver myofibroblasts. Thy-1-mRNA expression was significantly upregulated in chronic liver injury. Thy-1+ cells were detected in the periportal area of rat liver specimens in normal-, injured- and regenerative-conditions. In chronic human and rat liver injury, Thy-1+ cells were located predominantly in scar tissue. In the pericentral necrotic zone after CCl4-treatment, no induction of Thy-1 was found. Gremlin and Thy-1 showed comparable localization in the periportal areas. Thy-1 was not detected in either normal or capillarized sinusoids, in isolated rat HSC, and was neither inducible by inflammatory cytokines in isolated HSC, nor upregulated in treated myofibroblasts. Based upon these data Thy-1 is not a marker of "activated" sinusoidal HSC, but it is a marker of "activated" (myo)fibroblasts found in portal areas and in scar tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jozsef Dudas
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Gastroenterology and Endocrinology, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Strasse 40, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
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Induction of characteristic hepatocyte proliferative lesion with dietary exposure of Wistar Hannover rats to tocotrienol for 1 year. Toxicology 2008; 250:143-50. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tox.2008.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2008] [Revised: 07/01/2008] [Accepted: 07/02/2008] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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Evaluation of hepatocyte growth factor in patients with biliary atresia. J Pediatr Surg 2008; 43:1333-7. [PMID: 18639691 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2007.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2007] [Revised: 08/16/2007] [Accepted: 09/08/2007] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is a potent mitogen for mature hepatocytes in primary culture and seems to be a trigger factor for liver regeneration and proliferation after liver injury. The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of HGF in patients with biliary atresia (BA). METHODS Plasma levels of HGF were determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay from 19 patients with BA, 10 at the time of Kasai procedure (KP) and 9 at liver transplantation (LT), and 10 patients with nonicteric choledochal cyst served as control. Hepatic HGF level was quantitatively estimated using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and Western blotting. Hepatocyte growth factor messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of liver was measured with quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Immunohistochemical study of liver sections was evaluated by HGF staining. RESULTS Plasma HGF levels in LT patients were significantly higher than in KP patients (2977.30 +/- 1251.42 vs 960.17 +/- 559.82 pg/mL, P < .01). Western blots showed increased hepatic HGF levels in LT group than in KP group (2.02 +/- 0.86 vs 1.44 +/- 0.72 pg/mug total protein, P < .05). However, there were no differences in HGF mRNA expression. Immunohistochemical study showed significantly increased HGF staining in hepatocytes of LT livers than of KP livers. CONCLUSIONS Elevation of plasma and liver HGF levels could be related to the progression of liver cirrhosis in patients with BA. Hepatocyte growth factor might have a protective role, probably through the induction of hepatocyte proliferation, during the development of BA-associated liver cirrhosis.
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Abstract
The hepatic stellate cell has surprised and engaged physiologists, pathologists, and hepatologists for over 130 years, yet clear evidence of its role in hepatic injury and fibrosis only emerged following the refinement of methods for its isolation and characterization. The paradigm in liver injury of activation of quiescent vitamin A-rich stellate cells into proliferative, contractile, and fibrogenic myofibroblasts has launched an era of astonishing progress in understanding the mechanistic basis of hepatic fibrosis progression and regression. But this simple paradigm has now yielded to a remarkably broad appreciation of the cell's functions not only in liver injury, but also in hepatic development, regeneration, xenobiotic responses, intermediary metabolism, and immunoregulation. Among the most exciting prospects is that stellate cells are essential for hepatic progenitor cell amplification and differentiation. Equally intriguing is the remarkable plasticity of stellate cells, not only in their variable intermediate filament phenotype, but also in their functions. Stellate cells can be viewed as the nexus in a complex sinusoidal milieu that requires tightly regulated autocrine and paracrine cross-talk, rapid responses to evolving extracellular matrix content, and exquisite responsiveness to the metabolic needs imposed by liver growth and repair. Moreover, roles vital to systemic homeostasis include their storage and mobilization of retinoids, their emerging capacity for antigen presentation and induction of tolerance, as well as their emerging relationship to bone marrow-derived cells. As interest in this cell type intensifies, more surprises and mysteries are sure to unfold that will ultimately benefit our understanding of liver physiology and the diagnosis and treatment of liver disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott L Friedman
- Division of Liver Diseases, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, New York 10029-6574, USA.
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Huang CH, Horng LY, Chen CF, Wu RT. Chinese herb Radix Polygoni Multiflori as a therapeutic drug for liver cirrhosis in mice. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2007; 114:199-206. [PMID: 17881167 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2007.07.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2007] [Revised: 06/25/2007] [Accepted: 07/31/2007] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Liver regeneration not only plays a functional role in directing the restoration of liver mass after resection or injury, but also may have participated in effective therapy of liver cirrhosis. Additionally, hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) appears to be a factor of great importance in liver regeneration and attenuated progression of experimental liver cirrhosis. The aim of this study is to use Radix Polygoni Multiflori (POMU) extract, a Chinese herb traditionally used for liver-protective therapy, as a reagent for the evaluation of its potential medicinal use in liver cirrhosis. We used in vitro coculture system to show that POMU could promote the expression of HGF by hepatic nonparenchymal cells, consequently the proliferation of primary liver cells and phagocytic activity of Kupffer cells using fluorescein-labeled Escherichia coli as the target, and inhibit the proliferation of stellate cells. Using dimethylnitrosamine-induced liver cirrhosis animal, POMU even at 20 mg/(kg day) dosage, was illustrated to reverse the pathogenic progression of the disease, decrease the hydroxyproline content and increases the expression of HGF messenger RNA in liver tissue. The survival rate was significantly increased in the POMU-treated animal. In conclusion, our study showed the promise of POMU in the medicinal use for the treatment of liver cirrhosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ching-Hsin Huang
- Institute of Pharmacology, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
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. PC, . AW, . SA. Organogenesis and Regeneration of Liver: Mechanism and Signal Cascade. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2007. [DOI: 10.3923/ajb.2007.364.374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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Meredith K, Haemmerich D, Qi C, Mahvi D. Hepatic resection but not radiofrequency ablation results in tumor growth and increased growth factor expression. Ann Surg 2007; 245:771-6. [PMID: 17457170 PMCID: PMC1877067 DOI: 10.1097/01.sla.0000261319.51744.59] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) on tumor growth and growth factor expression in a murine model. BACKGROUND Surgical excision remains the only potentially curative therapy for hepatic malignancies. Tumor growth in the remaining liver may be accelerated after resection. The mechanism of this enhanced tumor growth remains unexplained, although growth factors that are released after hepatic resection (which facilitate liver regeneration) may play a role in residual tumor growth. RFA has become a viable alternative for patients who are not candidates for a curative resection. The effect of RFA on tumor growth and growth factor expression has not been studied. METHODS Hepatic tumors were established by direct injection with CT-26, a murine adenocarcinoma. Tumors were treated by either partial hepatic resection (PH) or RFA. Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) expression was measured at selected time intervals post-treatment. Tumor growth was measured by reinjection of CT-26 into the residual liver after treatment. Nine days after reinjection, tumor volume was calculated and compared with nontreated controls. RESULTS HGF and bFGF expression was significantly higher at baseline in the CT-26 tumor-bearing mice when compared with non-tumor-bearing controls (P = 0.00001 and P = 9 x 10, respectively). There was an increase in HGF and bFGF expression at 24 hours (P = 0.005, and P = 0.001) in the PH group. In the RFA group, there was a decrease in HGF and bFGF expression at 24 and 72 hours (P = 0.001 and P = 0.002). Tumor growth comparisons revealed an increase in tumor growth in the hepatectomy group (P = 0.006) but not the RFA group (P = 0.2). CONCLUSIONS Baseline growth factor expression in tumor-bearing mice is exponentially higher when compared with non-tumor-bearing controls. HGF and bFGF expression are increased posthepatectomy, and decreased post-RFA. Partial hepatectomy results in an increase in tumor growth in the residual liver. RFA did not increase tumor growth after treatment. While hepatectomy is the only curative option for patients with hepatic malignancies, it may accelerate growth of microscopic residual disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth Meredith
- Department of Surgery, University of Wisconsin, 600 Highlands Avenue, Madison, WI 53792, USA
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Tomiya T, Nishikawa T, Inoue Y, Ohtomo N, Ikeda H, Tejima K, Watanabe N, Tanoue Y, Omata M, Fujiwara K. Leucine stimulates HGF production by hepatic stellate cells through mTOR pathway. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2007; 358:176-80. [PMID: 17466941 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2007.04.093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2007] [Accepted: 04/16/2007] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Branched chain amino acids modulate various cellular functions in addition to providing substrates for the production of proteins. We examined the mechanism underlying the stimulation by leucine of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) production by hepatic stellate cells. Both p70 S6 kinase activity and phosphorylation of eukaryotic initiation factor 4E-binding protein 1 (4E-BP1) were up-regulated rapidly after leucine treatment of a rat hepatic stellate cell clone. No such activation was observed following treatment with valine or isoleucine. Rapamycin, an inhibitor of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), suppressed leucine-induced activation of p70 S6 kinase and 4E-BP1 and negated the stimulatory effect of leucine on HGF production. An mTOR-dependent signaling pathway mediates the stimulatory effect of leucine on the production of HGF by hepatic stellate cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomoaki Tomiya
- Department of Gastroenterology, University of Tokyo, Hongo 7-3-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan.
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Khurana S, Mukhopadhyay A. Characterization of the Potential Subpopulation of Bone Marrow Cells Involved in the Repair of Injured Liver Tissue. Stem Cells 2007; 25:1439-47. [PMID: 17379762 DOI: 10.1634/stemcells.2006-0656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
In vitro and in vivo studies have shown that bone marrow (BM) stem cells can differentiate into hepatocytes. However, it is not known whether such a differentiation event occurs during normal liver regeneration process. We investigated the role of endogenous BM cells in liver regeneration following acute injury and phenotypically characterized them. We showed that Lin(-)Sca-1(+) cells proliferate in the BM and subsequently mobilize in the peripheral blood in response to liver injury by CCl(4) or an injury simulating condition. In vitro studies confirmed that the damaged liver tissue was capable of inducing migration of a distinct population of BM cells, phenotypically characterized as Lin(-)CXCR4(+)OSMRbeta(+), which can differentiate into albumin and cytoketarin-18 expressing cells. In order to study the migration of BM cells to the regenerating liver, the hematopoietic system was reconstituted with green fluorescent protein (GFP)(+) BM cells by intra-bone marrow transplantation prior to liver damage. The BM-derived cells were found to express hepatocyte-specific genes and proteins in the regenerating liver. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis for a recipient specific gene (sry) in sorted GFP(+)Alb(+) donor cells suggested that fusion was a rare event in this experimental model. In conclusion, we first demonstrated the potential phenotype of BM cells involved in regeneration of liver from acute injury, primarily by the process of direct differentiation. Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest is found at the end of this article.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satish Khurana
- Stem Cell Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi-110067, India
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Effects of hepatotrophic factors on the liver after portacaval shunt in rats with portal hypertension. Chin Med J (Engl) 2006. [DOI: 10.1097/00029330-200610020-00010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
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Asai K, Tamakawa S, Yamamoto M, Yoshie M, Tokusashi Y, Yaginuma Y, Kasai S, Ogawa K. Activated hepatic stellate cells overexpress p75NTR after partial hepatectomy and undergo apoptosis on nerve growth factor stimulation. Liver Int 2006; 26:595-603. [PMID: 16762005 DOI: 10.1111/j.1478-3231.2006.01267.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Expression of neurotrophins (NTs) and their receptors is increased during hepatic regeneration, but their role is not well understood. METHODS NTs and their receptors were investigated by RT-PCR and immunostaining in regenerating livers after two-thirds hepatectomy (PH) and in hepatocytes and hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) isolated from regenerating livers in mice. Induction of apoptosis after treatment with NGF and the expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin (SMA), interleukin 6 (IL-6) and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) were also investigated in regenerating HSCs. RESULTS Nerve growth factor (NGF) and p75 NT receptor (p75NTR) mRNA were elevated after PH, while other NTs and NT receptors showed no remarkable change. NGF was detected in regenerating hepatocytes, but not in normal hepatocytes. Regenerating HSCs expressed increased p75NTR and SMA in vivo and showed an activated phenotype and the high expression of HGF and IL-6 in vitro. Enhanced cell death was seen in HSCs, both from normal and regenerating liver, after treatment with NGF. CONCLUSIONS Although activated HSCs may produce the factors that regulate liver regeneration, the de novo NGF production by regenerating hepatocytes may induce the death of activated HSCs via p75NTR, leading to termination of hepatic regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keiko Asai
- Department of Pathology, Asahikawa Medical College, Midorigaoka, Asahikawa, Japan
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