Effects of ethanol and hepatic vitamin A on the proliferation of lipocytes in regenerating rat liver.
The effects of ethanol and hepatic vitamin A on lipocyte proliferation were studied in regenerating rat livers. Positive identification of proliferating lipocytes was achieved by a double immunostaining sequence for cytoplasmic desmin and bromodeoxyuridine-labelled nuclei. Ethanol administration caused a 76 and 36% reduction in labelling indices of lipocytes 2 and 3 days after hepatectomy, respectively, thereby delaying the onset of the proliferative peak of lipocytes by 1 day compared to the control. Hepatic vitamin A did not decrease until 4 days after hepatectomy. The relationship between hepatic vitamin A and lipocyte proliferation was further evaluated in rats fed diets containing four different amounts of vitamin A. Despite the striking differences in liver vitamin A levels, the proliferative activity of lipocytes was unaffected, as measured at the peak of lipocyte proliferation 2 days after hepatectomy. These data indicate that ethanol ingestion suppresses the proliferative response of lipocytes to partial hepatectomy but that this ethanol effect is independent of changes of vitamin A levels in the liver.
Tanaka
Y
Y
Alcohol Research Center, Bronx Veterans Affairs Medical Center, NY 10468.
Funaki
N
N
Mak
K M
KM
Kim
C
C
Lieber
C S
CS
D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D000818:Animals; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008115:Liver Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000494:pharmacology*
D014801:Vitamin A; D000431:Ethanol; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine