大鼠再生肝中表达上调基因的筛选与鉴定

采用新发展的抑制差减杂交技术（suppression subtractive hybridization,SSH）在基因组水平筛选再生肝中高表达基因。大鼠肝部分切除后24h的再生杆组织来源的cDNA作为受检者（tester）,正常肝组织的cDNA作为驱动者（driver）,进行差减杂交,获得一900个克隆的差减杂交库,随后对差减克隆进行了差异筛选,得到50个在再生肝中高表达的强阳性克隆,序列测定和同源比较表明这些克隆代表了37个基因,其中13个与已报道的肝再生相关的基因同源,15个为忆知基因但首次发现与肝再生相关,9个为新的基因（EST）已被GenBank收录。制备了标准化RNA点杂交膜,通过对上述部分基因的RNA点杂交分析,不但确认了这些基因在再生肝中表达水平的升高,同时发现它们在肝再生过程中有不同的表达模式。实验结果提示这些基因在肝再生过程中具有重要功能。     

用RDA技术寻找肝再生相关基因的初步研究

利用表达性差异显示分析 (RDA)技术 ,研究大鼠 2 /3肝部分切除后 1h肝组织中基因的选择性表达 ,建立了大鼠 2 /3肝部分切除术后 1h再生肝组织选择性表达基因EST库。该库约含 3× 10 4 个独立克隆 ,其中 95 %以上的克隆含有插入片段 ,长度约 2 0 0～ 70 0bp不等 ,对随机挑出的 5 2个克隆的序列分析表明其中大多数基因与肝再生调控相关 (38/5 2 )。 10株未报道序列经RNA杂交证实 ,其中 6株与肝再生相关。     

NDRG2调控大鼠肝细胞周期的机制

目的:阐明NDRG2(N-Myc downstream-regulated gene2)在大鼠肝再生过程中时肝细胞周期的调控机制.方法:大鼠70%肝切除后收集0 h、8 h、24 h、48 h、72 h、7 d、10 d的再生肝组织,采用Real-time PCR和Western blot方法检测大鼠肝再生过程中NDRG2基因和蛋白的动态变化.流式细胞仪检测腺病毒介导的高表达NDRG2对大鼠正常肝细胞系(BRL)细胞周期的影响.Real.time PCR和Western blot方法检测高表达NDRG2对肝细胞周期调控的分子机制.结果:NDRG2基因和蛋白的表达水平在肝再生达到高峰时明显下降,在肝细胞进入分化期时显著上调;流式细胞仪检测显示BRL细胞中高表达NDRG2 48 h后,G0/G1期细胞百分比从对照组39.30+1.97上升至57.44±2.56,S期从37.66±1.73下降至13.27±2.01,差异有统计学意义(P＜0.05).对周期调控相关分子的检测显示高表达NDRG2对肝细胞周期的影响是通过上调p21,抑制Cyclin E实现的.结论:NDRG2通过影响细胞周期参与调控大鼠肝再生过程.     

大规模鉴定大鼠 0, 4, 36, 72, 96 h 短间隔连续部分肝切除中再生肝差异表达的基因

用抑制性消减杂交方法(SSH)构建了短间隔连续部分肝切除(SISPH)再生肝的消减cDNA文库, 从中筛选出了551个与肝再生相关的基因, 把这些基因制成cDNA 微阵列(cDNA芯片), 分析它们在0 h正常肝及 4, 36, 72, 96 h再生肝中的动态变化发现, 185个基因至少在肝再生的一个时间点表达变化达2倍以上; 185个基因中的86个属未报道的基因, 99个为已报道的基因, 但在此之前尚不知道它们与肝再生有关; 185个基因中的103个在肝再生中表现上调表达, 82个表现下调表达. 用GeneMath软件和GeneSpring方法对这些基因在肝再生中的表达轮廓进行聚类分析表明, 基因的表达模式可分为8组, 即早期诱导、中期诱导、晚期诱导、持续诱导、早期抑制、中期抑制、晚期抑制和持续抑制. 与一次性部分肝切除(PH)相比, 41个基因在SISPH中特异性表达, 其他基因在两个模型中的表达趋势相同, 但在各时间点的表达丰度有差异. 综合分析可见, 抑制性消减杂交技术与基因芯片技术相结合是研究再生肝差异表达基因的有效方法; 肝再生中上调表达的基因多于下调表达的基因; 早期诱导的基因多于晚期诱导的基因; 诱导表达幅度大的基因少于诱导表达幅度小的基因.     

大鼠8种肝脏细胞中缺血反应相关基因与肝再生的作用分析

为了解8种肝脏细胞的缺血反应相关基因与大鼠肝再生的相关性, 用percoll密度梯度离心和免疫磁珠方法分离大鼠部分肝切除后不同时间(0, 2, 6, 12, 24, 30, 36, 72, 120和168 h)再生肝中的8种细胞, 用Rat Genome 230 2.0芯片等方法检测上述8种细胞的缺血反应相关基因在大鼠肝再生中表达变化, 用生物学和系统生物学等方法分析上述基因与大鼠肝再生的相关性. 结果显示, 缺血反应主要在肝再生启动阶段及进展阶段前期发挥作用, 且上调占优势, 可刺激il6, tnf等肝再生关键基因表达; 肝星形细胞、树突状细胞中的缺血反应相关基因具有表达的相似性. 缺血反应能推动肝再生的顺利进行, 但胆管上皮细胞的基因表达情况特殊, 值得进一步研究.     

细胞连接相关基因在大鼠肝再生中表达模式

细胞连接是组织、器官形成的基础。为在基因转录水平了解紧密连接、粘附连接、粘着斑和间隙连接相关基因在肝再生中作用,本文用搜集网站资料和查阅相关论文等方法获得上述基因,用Rat Genome 230 2.0芯片检测它们在大鼠再生肝中表达情况,将3次检验结果相同或相似、在肝再生中发生有意义表达变化、真手术组和假手术组表达差异显著的基因视为肝再生相关基因。初步证实上述4种细胞连接中79、53、109和53个基因与肝再生相关。其中,肝再生启动(部分肝切除后0.5～4h)、G0/G1过渡(PH后4～6h)、细胞增殖(部分肝切除后6～66h)、细胞分化和组织结构功能重建(部分肝切除后72～168h)等4个阶段起始表达的基因数和基因的总表达次数为124、43、122、10和249、145、957、306。表明相关基因主要在肝再生启动阶段起始表达,在不同阶段发挥作用。它们共上调972次,下调540次,表明肝再生中大多数细胞连接相关基因表达加强,少数基因表达降低。它们表达的相似性分为均上调、上调占优势、均下调、下调占优势、上调和下调相近等5类,涉及102、38、73、27和16个基因,它们表达的时间相关性分为0.5和1h、2h、4和6h、8和12h、16h、18和48h、24h、30和42h、36h、54和60h、66和72h、96h、120h、144和168h等14组,表明肝再生中细胞生理生化活动具有阶段性。它们的表达模式分为41类,表明肝再生中细胞生理生化活动具有多样性和复杂性。根据肝再生中基因表达变化和表达模式推测,肝再生早期和前期间隙连接形成增强,晚中期和后期间隙连接形成减少;早期、前期和后期粘着斑形成增强;紧密连接和粘附连接的形成贯穿于整个肝再生。     

地塞米松对大鼠再生肝细胞亚精胺合成酶基因转录的影响

采用原位杂交技术研究地塞米松对大鼠再生肝细胞亚精胺合成酶(spermidine syathase,SPDS)基因表达的影响.结果显示,部分肝切除(partial hepatectomy,PH)后,再生肝细胞mRNA表达量呈现先升高后降低的变化趋势,峰值均出现在PH后9 h.PH 去肾上腺使mRNA水平升高,主要表现在PH后6～12 h;地塞米松处理组SPDS基因表达量明显下降,并且随着地塞米松剂量升高,mRNA表达水平降低.结果表明,地塞米松对早期再生肝细胞SPDS基因表达具有抑制作用.     

大鼠短间隔连续部分肝切除上调表达基因的克隆与分析 *

以短间隔连续部分肝切除112h为试验方,以0h对照为驱动方,应用抑制性消减杂交技术构建了高效率的正向消减cDNA文库,从中随机挑取的50个克隆中有45个包含了100～350bp插入片段,对这些片段进行测序后经GenBank blast同源性检索,表明8个片段均为未知新序列。大鼠短间隔连续部分肝切除后肝再生cDNA正向消减文库的建立和未知的上调表达基因片段的克隆为研究肝再生的分子机理奠定了基础。     

细胞外基质相关基因在大鼠肝再生中表达模式分析

细胞外基质具有维持细胞极性、调节细胞粘附、增殖、组织器官形态、发生、分化等功能。为了进一步在基因转录水平了解细胞外基质在大鼠肝再生中变化和作用, 用搜集网站资料和查阅相关论文等方法获得细胞外基质基因, 用Rat Genome 230 2.0芯片检测它们在大鼠再生肝中表达情况, 用真、假手术比较方法确定肝再生相关基因。初步证实上述97个基因与肝再生相关。其中, 肝再生启动(部分肝切除(parital hepatectomy, PH)后0.5~4 h)、G0/G1过渡(PH后4~6 h)、细胞增殖(PH后6~66 h)、细胞分化和组织结构功能重建(PH后72~168 h)等4个阶段起始表达的基因数为49、19、73、5, 基因总表达的次数为84、51、369、144, 表明相关基因主要在肝再生启动阶段起始表达, 在不同阶段发挥作用。它们表达的相似性分为均上调、上调占优势、均下调、下调占优势、上调和下调相近等5类, 涉及38、21、21、10和7个基因, 共上调411次, 下调186次, 分为24种表达模式, 表明肝再生中细胞生理生化活动具有阶段性、多样性和复杂性。根据细胞外基质相关基因在肝再生中表达变化推测, 肝再生前期纤粘连蛋白形成相关基因表达增强, 肝再生中期胶原形成相关基因表达增强。     

压力负荷型心肌肥厚相关的细胞色素b基因的筛选及克隆

 利用cDNA差减杂交法从压力负荷型心肌肥厚模型形成初期 (3d)的大鼠心肌组织中分离出13个差异性基因片段 ,菌落原位杂交和斑点杂交显示它们在心肌肥厚模型组和对照组中存在表达差异 .经同源性分析后发现其中一个 93bp的cDNA片段与细胞色素b脱辅基蛋白的基因高度同源 ,以其序列设计基因特异性引物应用SMARTRACE (cDNA末端快速扩增法 )技术 ,分离出该基因的全长cDNA ;经克隆、测序后已被GenBank收录 (AF2 95 5 4 5 ) .Northern杂交证实该基因在绑扎腹主动脉 3d的大鼠心脏中高表达 ,说明其在心肌肥厚发生的早期对心功能代偿有一定贡献     

Disruption of phospholipase Cdelta4 gene modulates the liver regeneration in cooperation with nuclear protein kinase C

Phospholipase Cdelta4 (PLC delta4) gene has been cloned from the cDNA library of regenerating rat liver. Using PLC delta4 gene-disrupted mice (PLC delta4(-/-)), we studied a role of PLC delta4 during liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy (PH). In PLC delta4(-/-), liver regeneration occurred in an apparently normal way. However, BrdU-indices indicated that PLC delta4 gene disruption delayed the onset of DNA synthesis by 2 h. Noticeably, the BrdU-indices in PLC delta4(+/+) remained rather constant throughout S phase, 25-35%, whereas in PLC delta4(-/-), it fluctuated drastically from 25% at 34 h to 65% at late S, 42 h after PH. This fact showed that PLC delta4 gene disruption caused a higher synchronization of cell proliferation. The mRNA for PLC delta4 in PLC delta4(+/+) appeared at late G1, and the expression continued throughout S phase. PLC activity increased transiently in chromatin at the late G1 and S phases in only PLC delta4(+/+), but not in PLC delta4(-/-). The specific increases in PLC activity well correlated with the transient increases of protein kinase C (PKC) alpha in chromatin of PLC delta4(+/+). PKC epsilon also increased transiently in chromatin from PLC delta4(+/+) at late S. It is concluded that PLC delta4 regulates the liver regeneration in cooperation with nuclear PKC alpha and epsilon.     

Gene expression in regenerating liver in relation to cell proliferation and stress

When hepatocyte proliferation is stimulated in the liver by partial hepatectomy, messenger RNAs coding for fibrinogen, actin, c-myc and topoisomerase I are rapidly accumulated. We distinguish an early phase of accumulation (0-3 h after partial hepatectomy) which is also observed after a sham operation for the four genes, and during inflammation produced by Freund's adjuvant in the case of fibrinogen and c-myc genes. The hepatic response to inflammation appears therefore to mimic events characteristic of the G0/G1 transition, such as the accumulation of the c-myc mRNA. The late phase of mRNA accumulation (beyond 3 h after partial hepatectomy) is typical of liver regeneration. The level of c-myc mRNA is transiently increased (20-fold over normal) 20 h after partial hepatectomy, that is, at the time of DNA synthesis. Topoisomerase-I mRNA level increases between 3 and 24 h after partial hepatectomy (5-10-fold over normal). These results suggest that accumulation of c-myc and topoisomerase-I mRNAs is associated with DNA replication in regenerating liver.     

Augmented oxygen-mediated transcriptional activation of cytochrome P450 (CYP)1A expression and increased susceptibilities to hyperoxic lung injury in transgenic mice carrying the human CYP1A1 or mouse 1A2 promoter in vivo

Background/aims

TEC, a member of the TEC family of non-receptor type protein tyrosine kinases, has recently been suggested to play a role in hepatocyte proliferation and liver regeneration. This study aims to investigate the putative mechanisms of TEC kinase regulation of hepatocyte differentiation, i.e. to explore which signaling pathway TEC is involved in, and how TEC is activated in hepatocyte after hepatectomy and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) stimulation.

Methods

We performed immunoprecipitation (IP) and immunoblotting (IB) to examine TEC tyrosine phosphorylation after partial hepatectomy in mice and HGF stimulation in WB F-344 hepatic cells. The TEC kinase activity was determined by in vitro kinase assay. Reporter gene assay, antisense oligonucleotide and TEC dominant negative mutant (TEC^KM) were used to examine the possible signaling pathways in which TEC is involved. The cell proliferation rate was evaluated by ³H-TdR incorporation.

Results

TEC phosphorylation and kinase activity were increased in 1 h after hepatectomy or HGF treatment. TEC enhanced the activity of Elk and serum response element (SRE). Inhibition of MEK1 suppressed TEC phosphorylation. Blocking TEC activity dramatically decreased the activation of Erk. Reduced TEC kinase activity also suppressed the proliferation of WB F-344 cells. These results suggest TEC is involved in the Ras-MAPK pathway and acts between MEK1 and Erk.

Conclusions

TEC promotes hepatocyte proliferation and regeneration and is involved in HGF-induced Erk signaling pathway.     

Differential gene expression and functional analysis of pit cells from regenerating rat liver

Hepatic pit cells are a population of large granular lymphocytes that substantially contribute to hepatic immunity. Studies have proven that pit cells have a role in liver regeneration, but the details of the relationship between pit cells and liver regeneration is not clear at present. We subjected rats to a two-third hepatectomy; pit cells with high purity were obtained with Percoll density centrifugation and immunomagnetic bead methods, and the changes in mRNA levels in pit cells from the regenerating liver were monitored up to 168 h using a Rat Genome 230 2.0 Array composed of 25,020 distinct rat liver cDNA clones. Of the 25,020 genes analyzed, 612 known and 358 unknown genes were identified to be associated with liver regeneration. The 612 known genes are classified into up-regulation and down-regulation patterns based on the expression levels; they primarily participate in at least 23 biological activities based on gene ontology analysis. Together with gene function enrichment analysis, cytokines and a growth factor-mediated pathway in pit cells were activated at an early phase of liver regeneration; pit cell proliferation occurred from 24-72 h after liver hepatectomy; the machinery of pit cell differentiation commenced early and came into play late; an immune/inflammatory response was enhanced late. Expression pattern analysis of functionally classified genes in pit cells can give insights into the relationship between pit cells and liver regeneration.     

Heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor links hepatocyte priming with cell cycle progression during liver regeneration

The mechanisms that regulate the transition between the initial priming phase and DNA replication in liver regeneration are poorly understood. To study this transition, we compared events occurring after standard two-thirds partial hepatectomy, which elicits full regeneration, with response to a reduced hepatectomy, one-third partial hepatectomy (1/3PH), which leads to little DNA replication. Although the initial response to partial hepatectomy at the priming phase appeared to be similar between the two procedures, cell cycle progression was significantly blunted in 1/3PH mice. Among the main defects observed in 1/3PH mice were an almost complete deficiency in retinoblastoma phosphorylation and the lack of increase in kinase activity associated with cyclin E. We report that, in two-thirds partial hepatectomy mice, the expression of heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor (HB-EGF) preceded the start of DNA replication and was not detectable in 1/3PH animals. Injection of HB-EGF into 1/3PH mice resulted in a >15-fold increase in DNA replication. Moreover, we show that hepatocyte DNA replication was delayed in HB-EGF knock-out mice. In summary, we show that HB-EGF is a key factor for hepatocyte progression through G(1)/S transition during liver regeneration.