小鼠动物实验方法系列专题(二) 肝脏大部分切除实验在小鼠肝再生研究中的应用

小鼠肝大部分切除(partial hepatectomy,PH)实验是研究肝再生的一个重要的实验。本文以C57小鼠为例,对肝大部分切除实验做了较为详细的介绍。实验结果显示,在术后的1～8天,小鼠的肝脏体重比值逐渐增加,在术后的7～10天里可以达到原来肝重的90%以上,10天以后肝细胞停止分裂。正常情况下,实施肝大部分切除后,小鼠的存活率可以达到90%以上。该模型的建立为研究肝脏再生的细胞和分子生物学机制奠定了基础。     

小鼠肝再生过程中ROS及线粒体代谢变化规律的研究

目的:肝脏是维持人体发挥功能的重要器官,同时肝脏再生能力十分强大。本文通过部分肝切除术后小鼠肝再生模型,观察肝再生过程中氧化应激及线粒体代谢变化规律,以期为将来的调控肝再生提供新的干预靶点。方法:选择雄性健康体重均匀的Balb/c小鼠,采用经典70%肝切除模型,随机分为假手术对照组(Sham组)以及70%肝切除组(70%PH组)。肝切除术后6 h、1d、2 d、3 d、5 d、7 d不同时间点取肝组织,制备冰冻切片检测活性氧(ROS)水平,Western blot分别检测细胞增殖相关蛋白PCNA、Cyclin D1;氧化应激相关蛋白SOD1、SOD2、CAT、GPX1;以及线粒体代谢相关蛋白PGC-1α、Nrf1、TFAM、Drp1、Fis1、Mfn1、Mfn2、OPA1的表达并分析其变化规律。结果:70%肝切除术后小鼠肝脏增长迅速,细胞增殖关键蛋白PCNA和Cyclin D1表达显著增加;在此过程中细胞ROS水平呈现先升高后降低的变化,细胞主要抗氧化酶SOD1、SOD2、CAT、Gpx1与ROS相一致出现先升高后降低的变化。线粒体生物合成调控因子PGC-1α、Nrf1、TFAM呈现先降低后升高的趋势,而线粒体分裂蛋白Drp1和Fis1呈现先降低后显著升高的趋势,线粒体融合相关蛋白Mfn1、Mfn2和OPA1总体为先降低后恢复至正常水平。结论:在小鼠70%肝切除再生过程中,存在着明显的氧化应激,线粒体生物合成增加,线粒体分裂/融合平衡偏向分裂,并且这些变化呈现具有一定的时间变化规律,这些变化及规律很可能作为将来调控肝再生的重要的潜在干预靶点。     

80%门静脉结扎后肝脏组织中MMP-9 的表达与肝再生作用 的相关性研究

目的:探讨基质金属蛋白酶-9(MMP-9)在大鼠80%门静脉分支结扎模型中大鼠增生肝脏组织中的表达及其与肝再生作用的关系。方法:健康SD雄性大鼠48只,随机平均分成假手术对照组(Sham)和门静脉结扎实验组(PVL)。观察术后1、3、7和14d保留侧肝叶重量/体重比值;下腔静脉采血后检测血清谷丙转氨酶(ALT)、谷草转氨酶(AST)值的变化;光镜下观察保留侧肝脏组织的病理形态变化;用免疫组化法检测增殖细胞核抗原(Proliferating cell nuclear antigen,PCNA)的表达,用免疫印记法检测MMP-9的表达,并进行统计分析。结果:80%门静脉分支结扎后,结扎侧肝叶呈进行性萎缩,保留侧肝叶重量/体重比值逐渐增加,7d达"平台期";与对照组明显不同,PVL组的ALT、AST的值在1h达到高峰,7d后回到正常水平;保留侧肝脏组织中PCNA阳性细胞计数与对照组比较,3d开始表达增强(P<0.05),7d以后逐渐恢复至正常水平(P>0.05);保留侧肝叶MMP-9蛋白的表达在术后3d开始增加,术后7d达到高峰。结论:MMP-9蛋白的表达在80%门静脉结扎后大鼠肝再生过程中发挥重要作用。     

川芎嗪促进大鼠部分肝切除后修复性再生机制的研究

目的:探讨大鼠部分肝切除后肝功能的变化及川芎嗪对肝修复性再生能力的影响。方法:在相同月龄的动物中按体重均衡的原则随机分组。实验动物共分为5组:设正常对照组(对照组)、青年假手术对照组(假术组)、青年肝切除组(青切组)、中年肝切除组(中切组)和中年肝切除治疗组(切治组),每组动物10只,常规饲养,自由饮水。参照Higgins and Aderson给大鼠施行肝脏70%切除手术,中切组大鼠术前以川芎嗪(200 mg/kg/d)腹腔注射7d,其余组注射生理盐水。假术组大鼠以同样的手术程序打开腹腔但不施行肝部分切除术。各组施行手术动物在切除术后24 h沿腹中线切开动物腹腔,于腹主动脉两髂分支处取血分离血清,切取所有肝脏,待测。采用试剂盒法分别测定各组血清中丙氨转氨酶(ALT)、谷草转氨酶(AST)含量;肝脏匀浆后,采用八木国夫法检测肝组织中丙二醛(MDA)含量,采用western blot法测定肝组织中核增殖抗原(PCNA)和铜锌超氧化物歧化酶(SOD1)、锰超氧化物歧化酶(SOD2)的蛋白表达。结果:与中切组相比手术动物相比,切治组组大鼠血清中ALT、AST水平显著降低(P<0.05),肝细胞中PCNA表达显著升高(P<0.05),肝组织中MDA含量显著降低(P<0.05);肝组织中SOD1、SOD2表达显著增加。结论:肝脏切除70%后,肝功受损,氧化应激增加,但核增殖能力增强。川芎嗪可以抑制肝切手术导致的氧化应激损伤,促进SOD的表达,抑制MDA的升高,降低ALT、AST水平,提高PCNA的表达。提示中年大鼠肝切除后肝功能受损与氧化应激相关,给予抗氧化药物能够促进肝再生修复能力,青年肝切除手术大鼠肝的修复能力强于中年动物。     

小鼠肝部分切除模型

小鼠肝部分切除模型是在经典的大鼠模型基础上发展起来的。随着显微外科技术的发展和小鼠腹部手术围手术期管理的完善,快速、可靠、重复性高的小鼠模型得以建立。因为成本较低,且存在大量为研究肝切除后肝再生的转基因小鼠,小鼠已经成为研究肝再生的重要动物模型。肝再生的调控相当复杂,且不是由单一因素控制的,因此需要多种类的转基因小鼠进行肝切除后肝再生研究来明确各因子在肝再生过程中的确切作用与机制。通过小鼠肝切除后肝再生的研究,目前已证实的参与调控肝再生的细胞因子和生长因子有:肝再生增强因子(ALR)、肿瘤坏死因子α(TNFα)、白介素6(IL-6)、白介素1(IL-1)、肝细胞生长因子(HGF)、去甲肾上腺素(NE)、卵泡抑素(FS)、转化生长因子α(TGF-α)、转化生长因子β-1(TGF-β-1)等。     

大鼠2/3肝切除72 h后再生肝脏质膜比较蛋白质组学研究

大鼠2/3肝切除模型为研究肝细胞增殖和生理性血管生成提供了一个很好的活体内模型.为了揭示肝再生过程中与肝细胞增殖终止相关及与血管生成启动相关的质膜蛋白质,本研究对大鼠肝2/3部分切除72 h后的肝脏质膜进行了研究：利用两步蔗糖密度梯度离心法对切除组和假手术组的肝脏质膜进行纯化;然后通过双向电泳和质谱技术对肝切除样品进行了比较分析并对几个关键蛋白程序性凋亡相关蛋白-6和丝蛋白-A进行了免疫印迹验证.相对于假手术对照组(Sham组),21种蛋白质在切除后72 h的肝脏中上调,15种蛋白质下调.所鉴定的差异表达蛋白参与了血管生成、细胞分裂增殖和凋亡、细胞分化调控、肝脏组织重新构建、代谢及应急反应.本研究为肝脏再生及其血管生成的研究提供了理论依据.     

80％门静脉结扎后肝脏组织中MMP-9的表达与肝再生作用的相关性研究

目的：探讨基质金属蛋白酶-9（MMP-9）在大鼠80％门静脉分支结扎模型中大鼠增生肝脏组织中的表达及其与肝再生作用的关系。方法：健康SD雄性大鼠48只,随机平均分成假手术对照组（Sham）和门静脉结扎实验组（PVL）。观察术后1、3、7和14d保留侧肝叶重量／体重比值;下腔静脉采血后检测血清谷丙转氨酶（ALT）、谷草转氨酶（AST）值的变化;光镜下观察保留侧肝脏组织的病理形态变化;用免疫组化法检测增殖细胞核抗原（Proliferating cell nuclear antigen,PCNA）的表达,用免疫印记法检测MMP-9的表达,并进行统计分析。结果：80％门静脉分支结扎后,结扎侧肝叶呈进行性萎缩,保留侧肝叶重量／体重比值逐渐增加,7d达“平台期”;与对照纽明显不同,PVL组的ALT、AST的值在1h达到高峰,7d后回到正常水平;保留侧肝脏组织中PCNA阳性细胞计数与对照组比较,3d开始表述增强（P〈0．05）,7d以后逐渐恢复至正常水平（P〉0．05）;保留侧肝叶MMP-9蛋白的表达在术后3d开始增加,术后7d达到高峰。结论：MMP-9蛋白的表达在80％门静脉结扎后大鼠肝再生过程中发挥重要作用。     

枯否细胞对大鼠再生肝细胞转录活性和LDH的影响

目的与方法 SD大鼠随机分成3组,即C组(切除2/3肝叶)、L组(切除2/3肝叶后注射LPS)和G组(GdCl3预处理后切除2/3肝叶),研究大鼠肝再生期间(0～144 h)再生肝重量比、AgNORs数量、乳酸脱氢酶的变化.结果 L组肝重量比在16～48 h低于C组(P<0.05),AgNORs的数量在48 h达到最大值(P<0.01,与正常对照组相比).G组再生肝重量比在16～36 h低于C组(P<0.05),AgNORs的数量在36 h即达到高峰,乳酸脱氢酶新增一条LDH4谱带,其平均密度在36 h达到最高值.结论 肝切除后注射LPS,抑制了早期的肝再生进程,注射GdCl3灭活枯否细胞后利于肝脏的早期再生.     

兔不同急性肝衰竭模型的建立与评价

目的:探讨一种理想的急性肝衰竭(AHF)模型建立方法.方法:36只实验兔随机分为3组:①改良药物手术诱导组(A组,n=12),先用D-氨基半乳糖(D-Gain)和脂多糖(LPS)腹腔注射,同时加用乳果糖,注射后2h以氟烷作为麻醉剂,切除约50%肝脏组织.术中经肝静脉注入5%葡萄糖氯化钠溶液10ml/kg体重;②传统手术诱导组(B组,n=12),切除约95%肝脏组织,术中不行肝静脉穿刺注射5%葡萄糖氯化钠溶液;③药物诱导组(C组,n=12),用D一氨基半乳糖(D-Gain)和脂多糖(LPS)一次性腹腔注射.比较建模死亡率、建模后24h兔存活率、血谷丙转氨酶(ALT)、血氨(NH3)、总胆红素(TB)和血糖(BS).结果:B组手术死亡率高于A组死亡率(41.77%vs0%),A组、B组兔建模成功后24h存活率及C组兔建模成功后72h存活率分别为0%,0%,25%,A组ALT和NH3水平显著高于C组(P＜0.05),TB和BG水平低于C组,但差异无显著性.结论:通过改进的50%肝切除术可建立较理想的兔AHF模型,以氟烷作为麻醉剂,药物诱导注射同时加用乳果糖,术中经中叶肝静脉注入5%葡萄糖氯化钠溶液可减少手术死亡率.     

四氯化碳、酒精与四氯化碳联合、胆管结扎致SD大鼠肝纤维化病理学比较

目的研究四氯化碳、酒精与四氯化碳联合、胆管结扎致SD大鼠肝纤维化模型肝脏的病理学改变,初步探讨肝纤维化发病机制。方法四氯化碳组SD大鼠以3 mg/kg的剂量（首次剂量加倍）皮下注射50%四氯化碳（四氯化碳∶橄榄油=1∶1）,每周2次,连续注射6周;酒精与四氯化碳联合组SD大鼠每日按照10 mL/kg剂量灌服酒精混合物（酒精∶吡唑∶玉米油=10 mL∶25 mg∶2 mL）,同时每周2次按0.3 mL/kg剂量给予腹腔注射四氯化碳∶橄榄油（1∶3）,连续造模60 d;胆管结扎组大鼠按10 mg/kg体重腹腔注射3%戊巴比妥钠麻醉,腹部皮肤消毒,无菌操作沿腹部正中线剪开腹腔,分离出胆管,在胆管近端和远端2处结扎胆管,28 d后结束实验。试验结束后麻醉动物,解剖取动物肝脏组织,用10%福尔马林固定,进行病理学检查。结果四氯化碳致SD大鼠肝纤维化模型表现为弥漫性脂肪肝、肝炎、肝纤维化;酒精与四氯化碳联合致SD大鼠肝纤维化模型表现为酒精性脂肪肝、肝炎、肝纤维化;胆管结扎致SD大鼠肝纤维化模型表现为胆管增生、肝炎、肝纤维化。结论这3种方法都可以引起大鼠肝脏发生纤维化,其中胆管结扎致SD大鼠肝纤维化造模方法适合于临床胆汁淤积所致肝纤维化的模型建立,其它两种方法适合于化学性、病毒性肝炎引起的肝纤维化模型的建立,可根据不同的实验目的选择不同的方法构建相应的动物模型。     

CXC Chemokines Function as a Rheostat for Hepatocyte Proliferation and Liver Regeneration

Background

Our previous in vitro studies have demonstrated dose-dependent effects of CXCR2 ligands on hepatocyte cell death and proliferation. In the current study, we sought to determine if CXCR2 ligand concentration is responsible for the divergent effects of these mediators on liver regeneration after ischemia/reperfusion injury and partial hepatectomy.

Methods

Murine models of partial ischemia/reperfusion injury and hepatectomy were used to study the effect of CXCR2 ligands on liver regeneration.

Results

We found that hepatic expression of the CXCR2 ligands, macrophage inflammatory protein-2 (MIP-2) and keratinocyte-derived chemokine (KC), was significantly increased after both I/R injury and partial hepatectomy. However, expression of these ligands after I/R injury was 30-100-fold greater than after hepatectomy. Interestingly, the same pattern of expression was found in ischemic versus non-ischemic liver lobes following I/R injury with expression significantly greater in the ischemic liver lobes. In both systems, lower ligand expression was associated with increased hepatocyte proliferation and liver regeneration in a CXCR2-dependent fashion. To confirm that these effects were related to ligand concentration, we administered exogenous MIP-2 and KC to mice undergoing partial hepatectomy. Mice received a “high” dose that replicated serum levels found after I/R injury and a “low” dose that was similar to that found after hepatectomy. Mice receiving the “high” dose had reduced levels of hepatocyte proliferation and regeneration whereas the “low” dose promoted hepatocyte proliferation and regeneration.

Conclusions

Together, these data demonstrate that concentrations of CXC chemokines regulate the hepatic proliferative response and subsequent liver regeneration.     

Intermittent selective clamping improves rat liver regeneration by attenuating oxidative and endoplasmic reticulum stress

Intermittent clamping of the portal trial is an effective method to avoid excessive blood loss during hepatic resection, but this procedure may cause ischemic damage to liver. Intermittent selective clamping of the lobes to be resected may represent a good alternative as it exposes the remnant liver only to the reperfusion stress. We compared the effect of intermittent total or selective clamping on hepatocellular injury and liver regeneration. Entire hepatic lobes or only lobes to be resected were subjected twice to 10 min of ischemia followed by 5 min of reperfusion before hepatectomy. We provided evidence that the effect of intermittent clamping can be damaging or beneficial depending to its mode of application. Although transaminase levels were similar in all groups, intermittent total clamping impaired liver regeneration and increased apoptosis. In contrast, intermittent selective clamping improved liver protein secretion and hepatocyte proliferation when compared with standard hepatectomy. This beneficial effect was linked to better adenosine-5′-triphosphate (ATP) recovery, nitric oxide production, antioxidant activities and endoplasmic reticulum adaptation leading to limit mitochondrial damage and apoptosis. Interestingly, transient and early chaperone inductions resulted in a controlled activation of the unfolded protein response concomitantly to endothelial nitric oxide synthase, extracellular signal-regulated kinase-1/2 (ERK1/2) and p38 MAPK activation that favors liver regeneration. Endoplasmic reticulum stress is a central target through which intermittent selective clamping exerts its cytoprotective effect and improves liver regeneration. This procedure could be applied as a powerful protective modality in the field of living donor liver transplantation and liver surgery.     

The nucleolar protein NML regulates hepatic ATP levels during liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy

We previously identified a novel protein complex, eNoSC, which senses intracellular energy status and epigenetically regulates the rDNA locus by changing the ratio between the numbers of active and silent gene clusters. eNoSC contains a novel nucleolar protein, Nucleomethylin (NML), which has a methyltransferase-like domain and binds to Lys9-dimethylated histone H3 at the rDNA locus, along with the NAD⁺-dependent deacetylase SIRT1 and the histone methyltransferase SUV39H. The aim of this study was to determine the role of NML in liver after partial hepatectomy (PHx). We assessed liver regeneration and lipid metabolism after PHx in wild-type (WT) and NML transgenic (NML-TG) mice. Survival rates of NML-TG mice were reduced after PHx. We found that hepatic triglyceride content in NML-TG mice remained elevated 48 h after PHx, but not delayed liver regeneration. Moreover, hepatic ATP levels in NML-TG mice were higher than that in WT 48 h after PHx. These observations suggest that NML may regulate consumption of hepatic triglyceride in liver regeneration after PHx due to storage of excess ATP. The delayed consumption of hepatic triglyceride may be the cause of reduced survival rate in NML-TG mice.     

A detailed methodology of partial hepatectomy in the mouse

The technique of partial hepatectomy is widely used to model liver regeneration and cell cycle dynamics in vivo. Because murine gene expression can be manipulated relatively easily, partial hepatectomy in mice is a useful tool for exploring the contributions of different genes to such hepatic processes. The authors present a straightforward method of partial hepatectomy in the mouse.     

Effect of α-difluoromethylornithine on polyamine and DNA synthesis in regenerating rat liver: Reversal of inhibition of DNA synthesis by putrescine

The possibility that α-difluoromethylornithine, a specific, irreversible inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase could be used to prevent the rise in hepatic putrescine and spermidine content following partial hepatectomy was tested. Administration of α-difluoromethylornithine at a dose of 400 mg/kg every 4 h reduced hepatic putrescine to <2 nmol/g, but had only a small effect on the rise in spermidine seen at 28 h after partial hepatectomy. Such treatment also reduced the rise in DNA synthesis produced by partial hepatectomy by up to 70%. The inhibitory effect towards DNA synthesis could be reversed by administration of putrescine which increased the hepatic putrescine content to about 30–40% of that in the regenerating control livers. These results suggest that accumulation of putrescine rather than spermidine is needed for DNA synthesis after partial hepatectomy. They also suggest that part, but not all of the rise in putrescine normally seen in the liver after partial hepatectomy is needed for the enhanced DNA synthesis associated with liver regeneration. Experiments with lower doses of α-difluoromethylornithine showed that a substantial part of the rise in hepatic ornithine decarboxylase activity could be abolished without affecting either the rise in spermidine content or the increase in DNA synthesis after partial hepatectomy.     

大鼠肝再生过程中肝再生刺激物及其mRNA的动态变化

本实验先制备大鼠肝再生模型,在该模型中大鼠成活率达９５％以上,肝再生情况良好,适合于进行下一步的研究。随后,通过耐热性和肝细胞特异性的检测,初步认为从该模型中所提取的活性成分即为肝再生刺激物（ＨＳＳ）。用３Ｈ胸腺嘧啶核苷测定ＨＳＳ及其ｍＲＮＡ体外翻译产物的生物活性,结果表明二者在肝再生过程中均存在动态变化,但前者在肝部分（２／３）切除后７２ｈ活性最高,后者则在２４ｈ达高峰。这一结果为后续的分子克隆工作奠定了基础。     

Local but not systemic administration of mesenchymal stromal cells ameliorates fibrogenesis in regenerating livers

Chronic liver injury leads to the accumulation of myofibroblasts resulting in increased collagen deposition and hepatic fibrogenesis. Treatments specifically targeting fibrogenesis are not yet available. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are fibroblast‐like stromal (stem) cells, which stimulate tissue regeneration and modulate immune responses. In the present study we assessed whether liver fibrosis and cirrhosis can be reversed by treatment with MSCs or fibroblasts concomitant to partial hepatectomy (pHx)‐induced liver regeneration. After carbon tetrachloride‐induced fibrosis and cirrhosis, mice underwent a pHx and received either systemically or locally MSCs in one of the two remaining fibrotic/cirrhotic liver lobes. Eight days after treatment, liver fibrogenesis was evaluated by Sirius‐red staining for collagen deposition. A significant reduction of collagen content in the locally treated lobes of the regenerated fibrotic and cirrhotic livers was observed in mice that received high dose MSCs. In the non‐MSC‐treated counterpart liver lobes no changes in collagen deposition were observed. Local fibroblast administration or intravenous administration of MSCs did not ameliorate fibrosis. To conclude, local administration of MSCs after pHx, in contrast to fibroblasts, results in a dose‐dependent on‐site reduction of collagen deposition in mouse models for liver fibrosis and cirrhosis.     

Some functional consequences of partial hepatectomy in rainbow trout (Salmo gairdnerii)

A partial hepatectomy (an average of 36% of hepatic mass removed) was performed in rainbow trout. Thirty days after this partial hepatic removal, the liver had recovered its initial weight. During regeneration the remaining liver was unable to maintain normal blood levels of protein, cholesterol and, partially, lipids which decrease after surgery. The results obtained show that functional and liver weight regeneration proceed at different rates throughout a given time course, weight recovering faster than complete functional restoration.