Intraportal administration of low-dose recombinant human hepatocyte growth factor enhances effects of hepatocellular transplantation

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Although recombinant human hepatocyte growth factor (rhHGF) is a potent mitogen, the dose used for patients is still not clear and must be low to avoid untoward effects. Firstly, the optimal strategy of the dose and route of rhHGF was investigated. Secondly, low-dose rhHGF, which would induce proliferation of transplanted hepatocytes, was explored using Nagase analbuminemic rats. METHODOLOGY: 1) Concentrations of rhHGF in the portal vein were measured after continuous administration of titrated rhHGF through the jugular vein or portal vein. 2) F344 rat hepatocytes (2 x 10(7) cells) were transplanted in the liver of Nagase analbuminemic rats. On the 7th day, the rats were subjected to a low-dose rhHGF treatment. RESULTS: When the rats were given rhHGF in a dose of 50 micrograms/kg/day, the mean concentration in the portal vein (0.8 +/- 0.1 ng/mL) was almost similar to the minimum concentration which stimulated hepatocyte proliferation in vitro. When low-dose rhHGF (50 micrograms/kg/day) was administered directly into the portal vein following hepatocyte transplantation in Nagase analbuminemic rats, the serum levels of albumin were significantly higher than in other groups. It was found that the concentration of rhHGF in the portal vein were 3.1 +/- 0.5 ng/mL with continuous intraportal infusion and 0.8 +/- 0.1 ng/mL with continuous systemic infusion. CONCLUSIONS: It was found that the minimal dose of rhHGF needed to stimulate hepatocyte proliferation was 50 micrograms/kg/day. With rhHGF (50 micrograms/kg/day), continuous intraportal infusion afforded a more favorable outcome in case of proliferation of hepatocytes.     

骨形态发生蛋白2在骨髓间充质干细胞向肝细胞分化中的作用

目的：观察骨形态发生蛋白2（BMP2）在骨髓间充质干细胞（BMSCs）向肝细胞分化中的作用。方法采用贴壁法分离培养大鼠股骨BMSCs ,将体外扩增的第3代BMSCs制作细胞爬片,并行肝细胞定向诱导。根据诱导因子不同分为：肝细胞生长因子（ HGF）组、HGF＋BMP2组、BMP2组及空白对照组。培养10 d左右收集细胞,观察各组细胞形态的变化,并采用ELISA法检测培养液上清中肝细胞特异性标志物甲胎蛋白（ AFP）、白蛋白（ ALB）,免疫细胞化学法检测诱导分化后细胞CK-18的表达。结果 HGF组和HGF＋BMP2组可检测到ALB、AFP及CK-18,且HGF＋BMP2组ALB、AFP及CK-18明显高于HGF组（P均＜0．05）。结论 BMP2不能单独诱导BMSCs向肝细胞分化,但能增强HGF诱导BMSCs向肝细胞分化的作用。     

肝细胞生长因子对冠心病患者内皮祖细胞功能的影响

目的观察肝细胞生长因子(HGF)对体外培养冠心病患者外周血内皮祖细胞(EPCs)生物学功能的影响,为HGF在冠心病治疗方面的应用提供研究基础。方法选择冠心病患者(冠心病组)和非冠心病患者(对照组)各15例,每组再随机分为重组人HGF(rhHGF)干预组和非rhHGF干预组,ELISA法检测血浆中HGF水平。流式细胞仪检测EPCs数量,并体外选择培养EPCs,检测rhHGF对EPCs增殖、迁移和黏附能力的影响。结果与对照组比较,冠心痛组患者外周血EPCs数量明显减少,血浆HGF含量明显升高(P0.01);EPCs增殖、黏附和迁移能力明显下降(P0.05,P0.01)。在冠心病组,与非rhHGF干预组比较,rhHGF干预组能明显促进冠心病患者FPCs增殖、黏附和迁移(P0.05,P0.01);在对照组,与非rhHGF干预组比较,rhHGF干预组仅促进对照组患者EPCs增殖,对黏附和迁移虽有促进作用,但差异无统计学意义(P0.05)。结论 HGF可增强冠心病患者EPCs的各项生物学功能,有望将HGF刺激EPCs的生物学活性的作用应用于冠心病的治疗。     

肝细胞条件培养液对人脂肪问充质干细胞向肝细胞分化和增殖的作用

目的 探讨人脂肪间充质干细胞在改良的诱导体系下向肝细胞的分化和增殖情况,为肝组织工程提供新的种子细胞来源.方法 从人脂肪组织分离出脂肪间充质干细胞,用含有碱性成纤维细胞生长因子、肝细胞生长因子、成纤维细胞生长因子-4的肝细胞诱导液进行诱导,并于诱导7 d后加入抑瘤素M.用细胞计数试剂盒-8法检测整个诱导过程细胞的增殖情况;通过光学显微镜观察诱导细胞的形态变化;用RT-PCR法和免疫荧光法分别检测肝细胞特异性基因和蛋白的表达;并对多种肝细胞特异性功能进行检测.组间比较采用t-test检验.结果 用改良肝细胞诱导液培养的人脂肪间充质干细胞在培养第5、7、14、21天时,细胞数均明显多于用对照培养液培养的细胞(f值分别为6.59、8.69、15.94和24.64,P值均＜0.05).诱导细胞表现出上皮样肝细胞形态,表达肝细胞特异性基因和蛋白;具有多种肝细胞特异性功能,如靛青绿摄取/排泌、糖原合成以及白蛋白分泌功能.结论 人脂肪间充质干细胞在含碱性成纤维细胞生长因子、肝细胞生长因子、成纤维细胞生长因子-4和抑瘤索M的诱导体系中能够分化为更加成熟的具有多种肝细胞特异性功能的细胞,且此诱导体系同时具有促进细胞增殖的作用.     

转基因肝星状细胞株对肝细胞生长的支持作用

目的 探讨转基因肝星状细胞株CFSC／HGF对大鼠肝细胞生长的支持作用。方法将大鼠原代肝细胞培养于稳定表达肝细胞生长因子(HGF)的肝星状细胞株CFSC／HGF所构建的饲养层上,连续动态观察肝细胞的形态、超微结构、白蛋白分泌、尿素合成以及吲哚氰绿摄取排泌功能的变化,同时与传统胶原贴壁培养的肝细胞进行比较,并通过半定量逆转录聚合酶链反应(RT-PCR)检测HGF受体c-Met表达的变化。结果共培养的肝细胞体外培养至7～10d时细胞增殖、白蛋白分泌及尿素合成达到峰值,以后逐渐下降,至35d时仍保持一定的存活和功能。与传统胶原上培养的肝细胞相比,其寿命、形态和功能的维持时间明显延长;RT-PCR结果显示,与CFSC／HGF饲养层细胞共培养1周后,肝细胞表面c-Met表达上调2．23倍。结论转基因肝星状细胞株CFSC／HGF对肝细胞较长时间内保持高活性、高密度的生长有显著的支持作用,CFSC／HGF诱导的肝细胞表面c-Met表达上调可能参与了该支持作用。     

Dose-dependent biphasic effects of phenobarbital on growth and differentiation of primary culture rat hepatocytes

The actions of phenobarbital, a liver tumour promoter, on growth and differentiation of primary culture normal rat hepatocytes change biphasically as a function of its concentration. At low concentrations of 0.5–2 mmol/L, phenobarbital enhances DNA synthesis of normal adult rat hepatocytes in the presence of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and/or dexamethasone. This is also true for normal suckling (1–2-week-old) rat hepatocytes, without added growth factor(s), in serum-free primary culture. Contrarily, phenobarbital at high concentrations (3–4 mmol/L) suppresses DNA synthesis of suckling rat hepatocytes. Furthermore, phenobarbital inhibits DNA synthesis of transforming growth factor-a-stimulated primary hepatocytes from normal adult rats in a dose-dependent manner within a concentration range of 3–6 mmol/L. When normal adult rat hepatocytes are led to undergo multiple proliferative cycles upon stimulation with hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and EGF in the chemically defined hepatocyte growth medium (HGM), 3 mmol/L phenobarbital also remarkably suppresses DNA synthesis. Phenobarbital at 3 mmol/L effectively keeps these hepatocytes morphologically differentiated and accelerates restoration of the expression of markers characteristic of differentiated cells after the initial cellular growth phase. In addition, phenobarbital efficiently supports prolonged survival of the hepatocytes.     

Therapeutic angiogenesis induced by human recombinant hepatocyte growth factor in rabbit hind limb ischemia model as cytokine supplement therapy.

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) exclusively stimulates the growth of endothelial cells without replication of vascular smooth muscle cells and acts as a survival factor against endothelial cell death. Therefore we hypothesized that a decrease in local vascular HGF might be related to the pathogenesis of peripheral arterial disease. We initially evaluated vascular HGF concentration in the vessels of patients with arteriosclerosis obliterans. Consistent with in vitro findings that hypoxia downregulated vascular HGF production, vascular HGF concentration in the diseased segments of vessels from patients with arteriosclerosis obliterans was significantly decreased as compared with disease-free segments from the same patients (P<0.05), accompanied by a marked reduction in HGF mRNA. On the other hand, a novel therapeutic strategy for ischemic diseases that uses angiogenic growth factors to expedite and/or augment collateral artery development has recently been proposed. Thus in view of the decreased endogenous vascular HGF, rhHGF (500 micrograms/animal) was intra-arterially administered through the internal iliac artery of rabbits in which the femoral artery was excised to induce unilateral hind limb ischemia, to evaluate the angiogenic activity of HGF, which could potentially have a beneficial effect in hypoxia. Administration of rhHGF twice on days 10 and 12 after surgery produced significant augmentation of collateral vessel development on day 30 in the ischemic model as assessed by angiography (P<0.01). Serial angiograms revealed progressive linear extension of collateral arteries from the origin stem artery to the distal point of the reconstituted parent vessel in HGF-treated animals. In addition, we examined the feasibility of intravenous administration of rhHGF in a moderate ischemia model. Importantly, intravenous administration of rhHGF also resulted in a significant increase in angiographic score as compared with vehicle (P<0.01). Overall, a decrease in vascular HGF might be related to the pathogenesis of peripheral arterial disease. In the presence of decreased endogenous HGF, administration of rhHGF induced therapeutic angiogenesis in the rabbit ischemic hind limb model, as potential cytokine supplement therapy for peripheral arterial disease.     

Reduced triglyceride formation from long-chain polyenoic fatty acids in rat hepatocytes

The mechanism for the marked reduction in hepatic triglyceride secretion when rats are fed fish oils was explored in studies with isolated rat hepatocytes. Hepatocytes obtained from Sprague-Dawley rats fed either chow or fish oil or safflower oil were incubated in the presence of [3H]-glycerol to estimate triglyceride formation. In some experiments, various fatty acids, complexed to albumin, were added to the incubations. Similar experiments were carried out with hepatocytes from a genetic strain of hypertriglyceridemic, obese rats. In the absence of added fatty acid, hepatocytes from fish oil-fed rats produced and secreted substantially less triglyceride than cells from safflower oil-fed rats. However, the addition of 2 mmol/L Na oleate stimulated triglyceride formation similarly in both types of hepatocytes. When hepatocytes from chow fed rats were incubated with fatty acids of increasing chain length and unsaturation (oleate, linolenate, arachidonate, eicosapentaenoate, and docosahexaenoate), the latter two, which characterize the fish oil used, almost totally suppressed triglyceride formation. Coincubation with oleate partly reversed this effect. Hepatocytes from the hypertriglyceridemic rats synthesized significantly more triglyceride than hepatocytes from normal rats; however triglyceride formation was markedly reduced also in this strain of rat by feeding fish oil or by adding docosahexaenoate to hepatocytes in vitro. These studies confirm previous conclusions with perfused livers from fish oil-fed rats that showed diminished triglyceride production and secretion. These findings suggest that diversion of polyenoic acids from pathways of esterification is a major factor in the triglyceride lowering effect of fish oils.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

骨髓基质干细胞对肝细胞与肝纤维化细胞增殖影响的体外研究

目的探讨微环境对骨髓基质干细胞（BMSCs）分化的影响以及BMSCs对肝纤维化细胞（CFSC）和肝细胞增殖的作用。方法分离、培养大鼠原代BMSCs和肝细胞,用PKH26荧光标记BMSCs,将标记后的BMSCs与肝细胞/CFSC进行接触和非接触共培养,用抗白蛋白抗体/抗α、平滑肌抗体对BMSCs进行检测;BMSCs条件培养液与CFSC共培养,倒置显微镜下计数CFSC的细胞数量变化。结果BMSCs与肝细胞共培养72h,白蛋白染色均出现阳性,且接触共培养的BMSCs白蛋白染色阳性率高于非接触共培养（P〈0.01）。肝细胞与BMSCs非接触共培养48h后,肝细胞的数量明显多于对照组（P〈0.01）。BMSCs与CVSC共培养体系中BMSCs的形态无明显变化,且αSMA染色未出现阳性。BMSCs条件培养液能抑制CFSC的增殖,作用时间越长,抑制作用越明显（P〈0.01）。结论肝细胞形成的局部微环境能诱导BMSCs向肝样细胞分化,BMSCs能够促进肝细胞生长并对CFSC的增殖有明显的抑制作用。     

共同培养诱导骨髓基质干细胞向肝细胞分化的研究

目的 探索大鼠骨髓皋质干细胞（MsCS）向肝细胞分化的能力，及肝细胞生长的微环境埘其诱导分化的作用。方法 采用梯度离心法，获取大鼠骨髓基质干细胞；改良的两步法获取大鼠肝细胞。将鉴定的MsCS和肝细胞以半透膜相隔共同培养，以单独培养的MSCs作对照。在第1、3、7．14．21、28天，分别以逆转录聚合酶链反应（RT-PCR）和免疫细胞化学分析检测甲胎蛋白（AFP）、白蛋白、细胞角蛋白l8（CK-l8）的基因和蛋白表达。结果在MSCs与肝细胞共同培养过程中，MSCs出现明显的细胞形态、体积和数量变化，可见双核或多核细胞，细胞轮廓较清晰。RT-PCR检测：共同培养的MSCs第7天即出现AFP基因表达，第14天表达增强，第21天表达减弱；第14天开始出现白蛋白、CK-18基因表达，并持续表达。单独培养的MSCs均无表达。共同培养的MSCs，于第7天进行免疫细胞化学检测，AFP即呈阳性；第14天白蛋白和CK-18也呈阳性；单独培养的MSCs未见AFP、白蛋白及CK-18表达。结论 大鼠骨髓基质干细胞与肝细胞共同培养，可被诱导分化为肝细胞。     

Rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells differentiate into hepatocytes in vitro

AIM: To investigate the mechanism and regulation of differentiation from bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) into hepatocytes and to find a new source of cell types for therapies of hepatic diseases. METHODS: MSCs were isolated by combining gradient density centrifugation with plastic adherence. The cells were cultured in osteogenic or adipogenic differentiation medium and determined by histochemical staining. MSCs were plated in plastic culture flasks that were not coated with components of extracellular matrix (ECM). When MSCs reached 70% confluence, they were cultured in low glucose Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium supplemented with 10 mL/L fetal bovine serum, 20 ng/mL hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and 10 ng/mL fibroblast growth factor-4 (FGF-4). The medium was changed every 3 d and stored for albumin, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and urea assay. Glycogen store of hepatocytes was determined by periodic acid-Schiff staining. RESULTS: By combining gradient density centrifugation with plastic adherence, we isolated a homogeneous population of cells from rat bone marrow and differentiated them into osteocytes and adipocytes. When MSCs were cultured with FGF-4 and HGF, approximately 56.6% of cells became small round and epithelioid on d 24 by morphology. Compared with the control, levels of AFP increased significantly from d 12 to 15.5±1.4 μg/L (t = 2.31,P<0.05) in MSCs cultured with FGF-4 and HGF, and were higher (46.2±1.5 μg/L) on d 21 (t = 41.926, P<0.01), then decreased to 24.8±2.2 μg/L on d 24 (t = 10.345, P<0.01). Albumin increased significantly on d 21 (t = 3.325,P<0.01) to 1.4±0.2 μg/mL, and to 2.1±0.7 μg/mL on d 24 (t= 3.646, P<0.01). Urea (2.3±0.4 mmol/L) was first detected on d 21 (t= 6.739, P<0.01), and continued to increase to 2.6±0.9 mmol/L on d 24 (t = 4.753, P<0.01). Glycogen storage was first seen on d 21. CONCLUSION: The method combining gradient density centrifugation with plastic adherence can isolate MSCs. Rat MSCs may be differentiated into hepatocytes by FGF-4 and HGF. Cytokines may play a more important role in differentiation from rat MSCs into hepatocytes.     

部分肝切除后的肝损伤血清和肝细胞生长因子促进大鼠骨髓细胞表达甲胎蛋白和白蛋白

目的 检测大鼠骨髓中是否存在肝脏干细胞，并用肝损伤血清和肝细胞生长因子(HGF)刺激骨髓细胞向肝细胞转化。方法 SD大鼠骨髓单个核细胞分3组进行培养：(1)单纯培养基对照组；(2)肝损伤血清组(15％，血清来自于2-AAF 75％肝切除大鼠)；(3)HGF(20ng／ml)组。用甲胎蛋白(AFP)和白蛋白作为细胞标志，用免疫组织化学、逆转录聚合酶链反应(PCR)、巢式PCR和western blot方法，观察大鼠肝损伤血清和HGF对骨髓细胞转化的促进作用。结果 肝损伤血清组和HGF组培养后10d和20d AFP免疫组织化学和western blot染色阳性；RT-PCR AFP mRNA阳性，新鲜骨髓细胞和单纯IMDM／F12培养基组AFP蛋白和mRNA均阴性。新鲜骨髓细胞存在白蛋白mRNA表达，在肝损伤血清组和HGF组培养后10d和20d，白蛋白mRNA表达增强。结论 大鼠肝损伤血清和HGF可促使体外培养骨髓细胞表达AFP mRNA和AFP。骨髓中可能存在骨髓源性肝干细胞，并微弱表达白蛋白mRNA；肝损伤血清和HGF可以促进骨髓细胞表达白蛋白mRNA。     

Quantitative assay for albumin-producing liver cells after simian virus 40 transformation of rat hepatocytes maintained in chemically defined medium.

Transformation of rat hepatocytes by simian virus 40 in chemically defined medium was examined. When hepatocytes plated on collagen-coated plates were infected with simian virus 40, colonies of replicating cells appeared as early as 40 days after infection, whereas no colonies appeared in control cultures. Medium from 85% of the transformed cultures contained albumin. When collagen was eliminated and hepatocytes were plated on Primaria plastic cell culture dishes, transformation occurred; medium from 86% of the transformed cultures contained albumin but the maximum albumin level secreted per culture was only 62% of that produced by cultures on collagen-coated plates. Quantitative assays for transformation were established. Transformation was linear after infection with 2-50 plaque-forming units of virus per hepatocyte, and the transformation frequency was the same on the two plating surfaces. An immuno-overlay technique made it possible to identify, purify, and determine the morphology of the albumin-producing cells. When ornithine was substituted for arginine in the medium, the transformation frequency decreased markedly while the percentage of colonies producing albumin increased from 30% to 100%. We conclude that we have defined an assay for quantifying transformation of a normal hepatocyte population and for identifying and enumerating epithelial liver cell transformants that produce albumin.     

小鼠胚胎干细胞诱导为肝细胞的研究

胚胎干细胞(ES细胞)是从体外受精胚囊的内细胞团分离建立的、具有发育全能性的细胞系，在特定条件下可向多种细胞分化，是细胞移植治疗很有前途的细胞来源。目的：探明ES细胞是否能被诱导分化为肝细胞，并探索小鼠ES细胞诱导分化为肝细胞的分化条件。方法：在ES细胞培养液中分别加入肝细胞生长因子(HGF)、β-神经细胞生长因子(NGF)和维甲酸(BA)以及与小鼠胎肝细胞共培养，观察分化细胞的形态学变化，逆转录聚合酶链反应(RT—PCR)检测白蛋白和转甲状腺蛋白mRNA水平的表达，免疫组化法检测甲胎蛋白和α1—抗胰蛋白酶蛋白水平的表达。结果：ES细胞培养液中加入HGF和β-NGFl5天后，分化出较多的上皮样细胞，并检测出白蛋白、转甲状腺蛋白mRNA水平的表达和甲胎蛋白、αl-抗胰蛋白酶蛋白水平的表达，表明ES细胞已诱导分化为肝细胞。ES细胞与胎肝细胞共培养2天后，分化出单一形态的上皮细胞，同样有上述肝细胞标志物的阳性表达。RA诱导出的细胞除转甲状腺蛋白mRNA外，无其他肝细胞标志物的阳性表达。结论：在HGF和β—NGF的作用下，有部分小鼠ES细胞被诱导为肝细胞，RA则无此作用。共培养方法也能诱导出肝细胞标志物阳性的细胞，并且细胞形态较单一。小鼠ES细胞有向肝细胞分化的潜能。     

Maintenance of differentiated rat hepatocytes in primary culture.

Normal adult rat hepatocytes remained viable and functional for at least 43 days when plated on collagen-coated dishes and fed chemically defined medium supplemented with dimethyl sulfoxide (Me2SO). Hepatocytes isolated by collagenase perfusion and cultured in the presence or absence of Me2SO were (i) examined by light and electron microscopy for morphological changes; (ii) analyzed for the production of albumin and other plasma proteins; and (iii) tested by autoradiography for DNA synthesis. Me2SO-treated cells continued to produce specific plasma proteins during the entire culture period; albumin production was consistently high (11-19 micrograms/ml of culture medium per 24 hr) from day 2 to at least day 43 after plating. Ultrastructural analyses demonstrated that Me2SO-treated hepatocytes resembled those from intact liver in organization of cytoplasmic organelles and cellular junctions. The optimal concentration for observing the morphological and biochemical effects of Me2SO was 2% (vol/vol). We conclude that supplementation of chemically defined medium with Me2SO enables maintenance of differentiated hepatocytes in culture for extended periods of time.     

导入外源肝细胞生长因子基因对肝细胞增殖的影响

目的 利用重组腺病毒载体将外源人肝细胞生长因子(HGF)基因导入原代培养的大鼠肝细胞, 观察HGF表达对肝细胞增殖特性的影响。方法 同源重组构建表达HGF的复制缺陷型重组腺病毒AdHGF,用 其感染原代培养的肝细胞。逆转录聚合酶链反应检测肝细胞HGF和c—met(HGF受体)mRNA的表达;酶联免 疫吸附实验测定培养上清液中HGF水平。MTS测定感染前后细胞增殖情况;流式细胞仪测定细胞周期的变化; 细胞免疫荧光法检测HGF基因导入后增殖细胞核抗原(PCNA)表达。结果 同源重组获得约4×10~(10)efu/ml 滴度的AdHGF。AdHGF感染原代培养肝细胞后,肝细胞HGF和c-met mRNA表达均明显上调;细胞上清液 中HGF分泌水平显著增加,达到(5 939.00±414.39)pg/ml(F=13.661,P<0.01)。细胞增殖能力增强(F ≥15.158,P<0.01),细胞周期由G_0/G_1期向S期转化(X~2=41.616,P<0.01);细胞免疫荧光法提示HGF 基因导入后PCNA指数显著提高(F=42.122,P<0.01)。结论 通过重组腺病毒载体将外源HGF基因 导入肝细胞后可维持HGF高效表达并能促进肝细胞增殖,是基因修饰供体肝细胞、增强肝细胞移植治疗效 果的有效方法。     

Identification and characterization of "injurin," an inducer of expression of the gene for hepatocyte growth factor.

The marked and rapid increase of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) mRNA in the intact lung of rats after partial hepatectomy or unilateral nephrectomy suggests the existence of a humoral factor mediating a signal of injury to distal organs and may induce the expression of HGF gene in these organs. We have now identified a proteinous factor in the sera of rats with injury of liver or kidney that increases HGF mRNA in the intact lung. When the serum of rats with liver insult caused by partial hepatectomy or ischemic treatment was injected i.p. into normal noninjured rats, it induced a marked HGF mRNA expression in the lung of the recipient rats. The addition of serum from rats with various hepatic or renal injuries to MRC-5 human embryonic lung fibroblasts in culture also led to the induction of HGF mRNA expression, so that the production of HGF by MRC-5 cells after treatment with the sera was remarkably increased in the culture medium. However, serum from the normal intact rat induced no HGF production and no HGF mRNA in the lung in vivo and lung fibroblasts in vitro. This factor, which increases HGF production, was purified greater than 200-fold from sera of CCl4-treated rats. The factor proved to be an acid- and heat-stable protein with an apparent molecular mass of 10-20 kDa in SDS/PAGE. Its activity markedly increased within 3-6 hr in the plasma of rats after various treatments that injured the liver or kidney. These results suggest that the factor specifically appears in the blood of rats with organ injury and may be involved in organ regeneration through the potential to increase the synthesis of HGF. Since the factor seems to mediate various organ injuries, we named it "injurin."     

Effect of insulin, glucagon or dexamethasone on the production of apolipoprotein A-IV in cultured rat hepatocytes.

We studied the effects of insulin, glucagon or dexamethasone on the production of apolipoprotein A-IV (apo A-IV) by cultured rat hepatocytes, using specific radioimmunoassay for rat apo A-IV. We also compared the effect of these hormones on the production of apo A-IV with those of albumin and apo A-I, reported previously. In the absence of hormones, apo A-IV and albumin in culture medium increased almost linearly for periods up to 24 h. The rates of accumulation of apo A-IV and albumin in the medium were 15.4 ng/mg cell protein per h and 1.2 micrograms/mg cell protein per h, respectively. The concentration of intracellular apo A-IV remained constant during the incubation. Insulin stimulated the production of albumin, but inhibited the production of apo A-IV dose-dependently. Glucagon inhibited the production of both albumin, and apo A-IV dose-dependently. Dexamethasone showed no significant effects on albumin production, but stimulated apo A-IV production. Thus, apo A-IV production in hepatocytes is regulated by several hormones with different effects on albumin production. The regulatory effects of these hormones on apo A-IV production were almost identical with the effects observed in a course of apo A-I synthesis, suggesting that the production of the two apoproteins are regulated by similar mechanisms.