不同浓度HGF、EGF优化大鼠胎肝干细胞体外培养的研究

目的:研究不同浓度肝细胞生长因子(Hepatocyte growth factor,HGF)和表皮生长因子(epidermal growth factor,EGF)对大鼠胎肝干细胞体外增殖的影响,探索二者间有无协同作用.方法:取孕14天胎龄F344大鼠胚胎的胎肝,经三步分离法分离纯化后,配置不同浓度HGF、EGF及HGF和EGF联合组培养基,将胎肝干细胞分组培养.光镜下观察细胞增殖状况,MTT法观察不同浓度和不同时间HGF、EGF及HGF和EGF联合对大鼠胎肝干细胞增殖的影响,并进行统计学分析.结果:HGF 10～80 ng/mL各浓度组,EGF 10～80 ng/mL各浓度组增殖效应均大于对照组.当HGF为20ng/mL,增殖效应明显大于对照组(P＜0.01),当HGF浓度继续增高时,增殖效应无明显增高.将20 ng/mL HGF组与不同浓度EGF组合后分组培养细胞,发现20 ng/ml HGF和10 ng/mLEGF联合组增殖效应明显升高,继续升高联合组中EGF浓度,增殖效应无明显提高.结论:HGF和EGF具有明显改善大鼠胎肝干细胞体外无血清培养条件的作用,二者对大鼠胎肝干细胞体外培养具有协同促进作用.其中20 ng/mL HGF和10 ng/mL EGF联合培养促进大鼠胎肝干细胞增殖效果最明显.     

日本发现肝生长因子

日本的研究人员鉴定和表达了另一个新的肝生长因子,它在肝脏的再生中似乎起一定作用。这个因子叫做肝细胞生长因子(HGF)。据九州大学和东洋纺有限公司的医药研究中心的研究人员说,它是肝部分切除和损伤后再生的引发物。 HGF最初是从大鼠血小板细胞中提纯的。现在,日本的研究人员已经部分鉴定和表达了从COS-1细胞中提纯的人HGF。据报道,在部分肝切除和经肝毒素处理的大鼠血清以及肝病患者的血清中,类似HGF的活性明显增强。在大鼠体内,HGF活性增加到原来的20倍。虽然大鼠的血小板和肝均能产生HGF,但人的血小板中HGF很少,说明     

人肝细胞生长因子基因表达质粒的构建及其活性研究

目的 :构建一种携带人肝细胞生长因子 (HGF)基因的表达质粒 (pUDKH) ,并对其体外活性进行研究 ,为其体内应用提供依据。方法 :从人胎盘cDNA文库用PCR方法克隆人HGF基因 ,并将其克隆至自行构建的真核表达载体 pUDK上 ,获得表达质粒 pUDKH。将pUDKH体外转染原代培养的骨骼肌细胞 ,分析其转染效率及表达上清中HGF、血管内皮生长因子 (VEGF)的表达水平 ,并采用MTT法分析不同剂量HGF表达产物对人脐静脉内皮细胞的作用。结果 :所克隆构建的携带人HGF基因的质粒 pUDKH可有效转染原代培养的骨骼肌细胞 (0 .0 5 7% ) ,并表达HGF(16～ 18ng/ 4× 10 5cells)和VEGF ,其表达产物对人脐静脉内皮细胞具有明显的增殖刺激活性 (P <0 .0 5 ) ,而且有剂量效应关系。结论 :初步证实本研究构建的质粒 pUDKH具有体内治疗缺血性疾病的应用潜力     

UBC家族新成员UBF基因的组织表达谱研究

目的和方法:提取人胎肝和HL-60细胞总RNA,采用RT-PCR的方法,从中扩增UBF基因,并对扩增产物进行测序,从而证实UBF基因的天然存在性;采用原位杂交的方法研究UBF在5月龄胎儿的不同组织及HL-60细胞中的表达谱及亚细胞定位.结果:从胎肝和HL-60细胞中均扩增得到了完整的UBF基因,且其序列与注册序列完全一致;原位杂交结果显示UBF在人胚胎多种组织中表达,其中胎骨骼肌表达最强,胎肾最弱.结论:UBF基因,作为Ubc家族的一个新成员,在人胚胎的骨骼肌、肝脏、肾脏、心脏和肺中均有表达,且骨骼肌中的表达最强.     

肝细胞生长因子及受体传递的调节与内吞作用

肝细胞生长因子(HGF)是一种具有多重功能的细胞调控因子。HGF与其受体Met酪氨酸激酶(c-Met)的结合可激发多种生物学反应,从而调节细胞的增殖、分化、形态发生和侵袭运动等。有多种因素参与了HGF/c-Met信号传导的调控,从而防止信号的过度放大,其中Cbl1、Rab、泛素化激酶和HGF/c-Met的内吞等发挥了重要的作用。因此,对HGF/c-Met内吞过程的研究,了解内吞对于HGF/c-Met的信号传导及其调控的影响,探讨HGF/c-Met信号传导通路的调控机理和相互作用模式,可进一步阐明HGF/c-Met信号传导的调控机制,从而验证肝细胞中内吞作用直接调节HGF/c-Met信号通路的作用机制。     

VEGF在人胎卵巢发育过程中的表达研究

目的研究血管内皮生长因子（VEGF）在人胚胎卵巢组织发生过程中的表达特征,探讨其在卵巢发生中的作用。方法采用HE染色和SP免疫组织化法学法检测VEGF在不同胎龄卵巢组织中的表达变化。结果VEGF在胎儿卵巢初级卵母细胞、卵泡细胞、部分基质细胞呈阳性表达,在卵母细胞的染色程度均强于卵泡细胞和基质细胞,基质小血管内皮也有阳性表达。其在卵母细胞中以胎24w阳性细胞多且表达量强,此后呈逐渐下降趋势。结论胎儿卵巢存在局部调节因子,VEGF表达于人胎卵巢中,以自分泌或旁分泌方式参与卵母细胞生长,在卵巢发生、发育过程中起着一定的作用。     

人肝刺激因子对CCl4损伤大鼠离体肝细胞内钙和钾离子稳态的影响

本工作从自愿流产孕妇的胎儿取肝,按照LaBrecque法提取人肝刺激因子(human hepaticstimulator substance,hHSS)。用荧光探针Fura-2/AM测定离体肝细胞内游离钙,用离子分析仪测细胞染毒(四氯化碳CCl_4)前后基质中钾离子含量,观察hHSS对染毒肝细胞内Ca~(2+)和K~+稳态的影响,并测定肝细胞存活率和细胞内转氨酶(ALT)的漏出作为佐证。结果表明,人胎肝中含有hHSS,hHSS能提高离体肝细胞的存活率,维持肝细胞内游离钙的相对恒定,减少细胞内钾离子和ALT的漏出。这些结果提示,hHSS可保护肝细胞内钙,钾离子稳态和肝细胞膜的稳定,从而加强大鼠离体肝细胞抗CCl_4的损伤。     

肝细胞生长因子抑制糖基化终产物诱导人脐静脉内皮细胞的凋亡作用

目的探讨肝细胞生长因子(HGF)抑制糖基化终产物(AGEs)诱导人脐静脉内皮细胞凋亡的作用及其相关分子机制。方法体外培养ECV-304人脐静脉内皮细胞,采用噻唑蓝(MTT)法测定HGF对AGEs作用后ECV-304细胞生长抑制率的影响;通过Hoechst33258荧光染色观察细胞形态学改变、流式细胞术测定AnnexinV-FITC/PI双染标记的细胞凋亡率,检测HGF对AGEs诱导ECV-304细胞凋亡的影响;Western印迹法检测Bax、Bcl-2蛋白的表达。结果HGF能明显降低AGEs对ECV-304细胞生长的抑制作用;AGE诱导培养的ECV-304细胞出现明显的凋亡形态学改变,在一定浓度范围内,ECV-304细胞凋亡率与AGEs的浓度和作用时间呈依赖关系,加入HGF处理后可显著降低不同时间的内皮细胞凋亡率;HGF作用ECV-304细胞后Bcl-2蛋白表达明显升高,而Bax蛋白表达无明显变化。结论AGEs能诱导内皮细胞凋亡,而HGF能部分抑制AGEs诱导的内皮细胞凋亡,其作用机制可能与上调Bcl-2蛋白的表达水平有关。     

Genentech与东洋纺织公司共同开发克隆化肝实质细胞生长因子

美国Genentech公司(南圣弗朗西斯科)从日本东洋纺织公司引入肝实质细胞生长因子(HGF)技术,并开始共同开发。这两家公司虽然正在大阪地方法院就血栓溶解剂——组织血纤维溶酶原激活剂(TPA)的开发问题激烈地进行日本第一件专利诉讼,但是现在对于HGF,则不记怨仇,进行了合作。肝实质细胞具有广泛的机能,如解毒、分解老废物、合成血清蛋白等,HGF是能特异地使肝实质细胞增殖的生长因子,同肝脏的再生有密切关系。因此,它有针对慢性肝     

肝细胞生长因子对骨髓内皮祖细胞的动员作用

目的: 分析肝细胞生长因子(HGF)能否动员骨髓内皮祖细胞,以及动员的内皮祖细胞能否参与创伤修复时的血管新生和内皮修复.方法: 将腺病毒HGF载体(adenovirus vector encoding HGF gene, Ad-HGF)经尾静脉注射到Balb/c小鼠体内,用ELISA方法检测血浆HGF水平的变化;用流式细胞术检测外周血CD34 细胞含量变化;对外周血单个核细胞进行分离、培养,并对生长的细胞克隆进行内皮细胞表面标志Tie-2、vW因子的免疫组化检测.建立雌性小鼠CCl4肝损伤模型,静脉移植HGF处理后雄性小鼠外周血单个核细胞到其体内,4 W后利用原位杂交技术检测新生肝组织中是否存在雄性细胞.结果: 注射Ad-HGF能明显提高小鼠血浆的HGF水平,并使外周血中以CD34、Tie-2和vW因子等为标志的内皮祖细胞的数量显著增多.这些细胞参与肝损伤修复时的血管新生.结论: HGF对骨髓内皮祖细胞具有明显的动员作用.     

Hepatocyte growth factor in ascites from patients with cirrhosis.

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) stimulating DNA synthesis of adult rat hepatocytes in primary culture was found in the ascites and plasma from patients with liver cirrhosis, but not in those from patients without cirrhosis. HGF was purified about 400-fold in 10% yield from cirrhotic ascites by ultrafiltration, cation-exchange chromatography on a S-Sepharose column, and affinity chromatography on a heparin-Sepharose CL-6B column. The partially purified factor was a heat- and acid-labile cationic protein with a molecular weight of 100,000-150,000. Its effect was half-maximal at 3.8 micrograms/ml, and was additive with those of insulin and epidermal growth factor. HGF in ascites from patients with cirrhosis had the same properties as HGF purified and characterized from rat platelets. These findings suggest that HGF is secreted into the ascites from the plasma or liver of patients with cirrhosis and may increase in the plasma with the development of hepatic impairment and act in repair of the damaged liver of patients with chronic liver disease.     

Oncostatin M and hepatocyte growth factor induce hepatic maturation via distinct signaling pathways

Liver development is regulated by soluble factors as well as cell-cell contacts. We previously reported that oncostatin M (OSM) induced hepatic maturation in a primary culture of embryonic day 14 liver cells. While OSM expression in the liver starts in mid gestation and decreases in postnatal stages, hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is mainly expressed in the liver in the first few days after birth. In this study, we compared the effect of OSM and HGF on the differentiation of fetal hepatic cells in vitro. Like OSM, HGF in the presence of dexamethasone induced expression of glucose-6-phosphatase, tyrosine amino transferase and carbamoyl-phosphate synthase, and accumulation of glycogen in fetal hepatic cells, although to a lesser extent than OSM. Interestingly, while both OSM and HGF up-regulated production of albumin, secretion of albumin occurred only in response to OSM. In addition, although hepatic maturation induced by OSM depends on STAT3, HGF failed to activate STAT3 and HGF-induced differentiation was independent of STAT3. These results indicate that OSM and HGF induce hepatic maturation through different signaling pathways.     

The presence of hepatocyte growth factor in the developing rat.

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), a heparin-binding polypeptide mitogen, stimulates DNA synthesis in adult rat and human hepatocytes and in several other cells of epithelial origin. Recently, it was determined that scatter factor (SF), a protein that has been shown to cause the dispersion and migration of epithelial cells in culture, is identical to HGF. Moreover, the receptor for HGF was identified as the product of the proto-oncogene, c-MET, a tyrosine kinase-containing transmembrane protein. c-MET expression has been reported in a variety of adult and embryonic mouse tissues. Similarly, we and others have demonstrated that HGF is expressed in various adult rat and human tissues. In the present study, the tissue distribution of HGF during rat development was determined by immunohistochemistry using an HGF-specific polyclonal antiserum. Between day 12 and day 19, immunoreactivity for HGF was present in various locations such as hematopoietic cells, somites, squamous epithelium of the esophagus and skin, periventricular germinal matrix of the brain, bronchial epithelium, renal collecting tubules and chondrocytes. After day 19, HGF immunoreactivity was also present in the pancreas, submaxillary glands and neural tissues. In addition to immunolocalizing HGF in tissue sections, bioreactive and immunoreactive HGF was extracted and purified from rat fetuses. Other studies demonstrated the presence of HGF and c-MET mRNA in total fetal rat, and in fetal and neonatal rat liver. Addition of purified HGF to fetal and neonatal rat liver cultures enriched for hepatocytes stimulated DNA synthesis up to six-fold over controls. These findings strongly suggest a pivotal role for this potent regulator of growth and development.     

Crucial role of the small GTPase ARF6 in hepatic cord formation during liver development

The mammalian small GTPase ADP-ribosylation factor 6 (ARF6) plays important roles in a wide variety of cellular events, including endocytosis, actin cytoskeletal reorganization, and phosphoinositide metabolism. However, physiological functions for ARF6 have not previously been examined. Here, we described the consequence of ARF6 ablation in mice, which manifests most obviously in the context of liver development. Livers from ARF6-/- embryos are smaller and exhibit hypocellularity, due to the onset of midgestational liver cell apoptosis. Preceding the apoptosis, however, defective hepatic cord formation is observed; the liver cells migrate abnormally upon exiting the primordial hepatic epithelial sheet and clump rather than becoming dispersed. Consistent with this observation, the ability of hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF) to induce hepatic cord-like structures from ARF6-/- fetal hepatocytes cultured in vitro in collagen gel matrix is impaired. Finally, we show that endogenous ARF6 in wild-type fetal hepatocytes is activated in response to HGF stimulation. These results provide evidence that ARF6 is an essential component in the signaling pathway coupling HGF signaling to hepatic cord formation.     

The role of HGF on invasive properties and repopulation potential of human fetal hepatic progenitor cells

The success of hepatocyte transplantation has been limited by the low efficiency of transplanted cell integration into liver parenchyma. Human fetal hepatic progenitor cells (hepatoblasts) engraft more effectively than adult hepatocytes in mouse livers. However, the signals required for their integration are not yet fully understood. We investigated the role of HGF on the migration and invasive ability of human hepatic progenitors in vitro and in vivo.Hepatoblasts were isolated from the livers of human fetuses between 10 and 12 weeks of gestation. Their invasive ability was assessed in the presence or absence of HGF. These cells were also transplanted into immunodeficient mice and analyzed by immunohistochemistry.In contrast to TNF-alpha, HGF increased the motogenesis and invasiveness of hepatoblasts, but not of human adult hepatocytes, via phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2. The invasive ability of human hepatoblasts correlated with the expression and secretion of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). Hepatoblasts stimulated with HGF prior transplantation into newborn mice migrated from the portal area into the hepatic parenchyma.Conclusions: In contrast to adult hepatocytes, hepatoblasts display invasive ability that can be modulated by HGF in vitro and in vivo.     

A single administration of adenoviral-mediated HGF cDNA permits survival of mice from acute hepatic failure

Heptatocyte growth factor (HGF) having a variety of biological activity was suggested as a protective agent against acute toxic hepatic injury or a potentially therapeutic agent. For the efficient in vivo application of this factor, we employed adenoviral-mediated HGF gene delivery system. In this study, we constructed E1-deleted recombinant adenovirus carrying cDNA of human HGF (Ad.hHGF) and elucidated that HGF was efficiently expressed in the liver of C57/BL mice. A mouse model of acute hepatic failure was induced by high dose (1000mg/kg) of thioacetamide (TA) administration. Mice infected with Ad.hHGF showed a dramatic resistance to TA-induced acute hepatic injury. Serum ALT was increased transiently and then the level was normalized in Ad.hHGF-infected mice with TA administration. Furthermore, the survival rate was remarkably enhanced in the mice infected with Ad.hHGF. In the histological examination, massive hepatic necrosis induced by TA was almost completely protected by HGF produced by Ad.hHGF. Our results indicate that a single dose of HGF-encoding adenoviral vector maintained liver function and prevented the progression of liver necrosis in a mouse model of acute hepatic failure.     

Scatter factor and hepatocyte growth factor are indistinguishable ligands for the MET receptor.

Scatter Factor (SF) is a fibroblast-secreted protein which promotes motility and matrix invasion of epithelial cells. Hepatocyte Growth Factor (HGF) is a powerful mitogen for hepatocytes and other epithelial tissues. SF and HGF, purified according to their respective biological activities, were interchangeable and equally effective in assays for cell growth, motility and invasion. Both bound with identical affinities to the same sites in target cells. The receptor for SF and HGF was identified as the product of the MET oncogene by: (i) ligand binding and coprecipitation in immunocomplexes; (ii) chemical crosslinking to the Met beta subunit; (iii) transfer of binding activity in insect cells by a baculovirus carrying the MET cDNA; (iv) ligand-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of the Met beta subunit. SF and HGF cDNA clones from human fibroblasts, placenta and liver had virtually identical sequences. We conclude that the same molecule (SF/HGF) acts as a growth or motility factor through a single receptor in different target cells.     

Cell free synthesis of human prothrombin: Immunological characterization of the translation product

mRNAs prepared from adult and fetal human liver were translated in a cell free reticulocyte lysate system. The early precursor of human prothrombin, so called preprothrombin, was purified by immunoaffinity microchromatography. The precursor was identified by immunological competition as a single band displaying in Sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis a Mr slightly lower than the Mr of human prothrombin (72 000 instead of 76 000). Immunological studies showed that human preprothrombin reacted more efficiently with antibodies raised against denatured prothrombin than with anti plasmatic prothrombin antibodies. The rate of synthesis of the precursor obtained under the direction of adult liver RNA was ten fold higher than that obtained under the direction of fetal liver RNA.     

Efficient generation of functional hepatocyte-like cells from human fetal hepatic progenitor cells in vitro

Differentiation of human hepatic progenitor cells to functional hepatocytes holds great potential to develop new therapeutic strategies for liver disease and to provide a platform for drug toxicity screens and identification of novel pharmaceuticals. We report here that human fetal hepatic progenitor cells (hFHPCs) efficiently differentiate to hepatocyte-like cells by continuous exposure to a combination of soluble factors for 7 days in vitro. We compared the effect of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), oncostatin M (OSM), dexamethasone (DEX), or a combination on the expression of a liver-specific marker, albumin (ALB). Real-time RT-PCR analysis showed that, upon exposure to a combination of OSM, DEX, and HGF, the expression of ALB gradually increased in a time-dependent manner. In contrast, the level of the hepatic progenitor cell marker alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) decreased as differentiation progressed. Moreover, cells exposed to the combination of OSM, DEX, and HGF gradually featured highly differentiated hepatic functions, including ALB secretion, glycogen storage, urea production, and cytochrome P450 (CYP) activity. The effect of these factors on the differentiation of hFHPCs may be blocked by U0126, an inhibitor of the ERK1/2 signaling pathway. In conclusion, we demonstrate that a combination of soluble factors facilitates the efficient generation of highly differentiated hepatocyte-like cells from hFHPCs and ERK1/2 signaling pathway involved in this process. Results suggest that this system will be useful for generating functional hepatocytes and, hence, may serve as a cell source suitable for preclinical pharmacological research and testing.     

胚胎干细胞向肝实质细胞体外定向诱导分化过程中的肝卵圆细胞

如果肝脏严重受损致使肝细胞大部分坏死,或由于某些原因 ( 肝毒性物质、致癌物质的作用 ) 抑制残存肝细胞增殖时,肝内前体／干细胞———肝卵圆细胞便被激活并分化生成肝细胞和胆管细胞等以参与肝修复 . 基于此理论,人们建立了啮齿类动物肝卵圆细胞诱导实验模型 . 但显然上述模型不适用于人类,所以有必要开发一种适用于人类的、高效的肝卵圆细胞的新诱导模型 . 选用小鼠胚胎干细胞,转成拟胚体分化 3 天后分组,诱导组添加肝细胞生长因子 (HGF) 、表皮生长因子 (EGF) 作定向诱导分化 . 其间用免疫细胞化学 (ICC) 检测肝卵圆细胞标志物 A6 等的表达,用流式细胞仪筛选肝卵圆细胞并行 RT-PCR 、透射电镜检测 . 所筛选的肝卵圆细胞进一步体外培养并进行 ICC 和 RT-PCR ,检测其分化生成成熟的肝细胞和胆管细胞的能力 . 研究证实胚胎干细胞体外定向诱导生成肝实质细胞的过程中,存在着有双向分化能力的肝卵圆细胞这个中间分化阶段 . 诱导组肝卵圆细胞分化率均显著地高于对照组,最高时可达 6.11% 左右 . HGF 和 EGF 能显著性诱导胚胎干细胞源性卵圆细胞的生成 . 流式细胞仪筛选 Sca-1+/CD34+ 细胞占总细胞数的 4.59% ,其中 A6 阳性肝卵圆细胞占 90.81% 左右 . 使用流式细胞仪可获得高富集的 A6+/Sca-1+/CD34+ 肝卵圆细胞 . 提供了一种可适用于人类的肝卵圆细胞的新诱导模型 .