title: Bidirectional effects of Kupffer cells on hepatocyte proliferation in vitro.
abstract: The control of rat hepatocyte DNA synthesis in vitro by Kupffer cells and transformed perisinusoidal lipocytes, i.e. myofibroblast-like cells was studied. Conditioned media from Kupffer cells inhibit the replicative (hydroxyurea-sensitive) DNA synthesis dose-dependently in primary cultures of hepatocytes stimulated by epidermal growth factor (EGF). The cytokine responsible for the inhibition was identified as transforming growth factor beta (TGF beta). After neutralization of activated TGF beta in these media, DNA synthesis is stimulated in quiescent hepatocytes via transforming growth factor alpha (TGF alpha) demonstrated by competitive TGF alpha/EGF-receptor blocking on hepatocytes. Results similar to those obtained with Kupffer cells were found with conditioned media of myofibroblast-like cells. Northern blot hybridization confirms the expression of both TGF beta and TGF alpha in Kupffer cells and myofibroblast-like cells, respectively. These findings support the notion that Kupffer cells and myofibroblast-like cells might regulate in both directions liver regeneration depending on the proportion of secreted TGF alpha and TGF beta and on the activation status of TGF beta, of which a significant fraction is secreted in the latent form.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Chemistry and Central Laboratory, Philipps-University, Marburg, Germany.
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Bachem
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Gressner
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D002455:Cell Division; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000494:pharmacology; D007728:Kupffer Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D012313:RNA / Q000032:analysis; D011869:Radioligand Assay; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D016211:Transforming Growth Factor alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016211:Transforming Growth Factor alpha; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D012313:RNA