title: Retinoic acid modulates the asialoglycoprotein receptor expression in cultured fetal rat hepatocytes.
abstract: The influence of retinoic acid on the expression of a typical marker of hepatocyte differentiation, i.e. the asialoglycoprotein receptor, has been studied. Cultured hepatocytes, isolated from adult rats, a model of quiescent, mature cells and from 20-day-old fetuses, a model of proliferating and less differentiated cells, were used. The asialoglycoprotein receptor expression appears to be affected by retinoic acid during prenatal life; both mRNA level and protein amount increased in fetal hepatocytes, but no modification has been found in adult cells, suggesting a regulative effect of retinoic acid during prenatal life, acting at transcriptional and/or translational level. Surprisingly, the receptor binding activity of adult hepatocytes is decreased after retinoic acid treatment, indicating a possible further modulation by this molecule on receptor activity at the post-translational level.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular and Developmental Biology, University 'La Sapienza', Rome, Italy. falasca_laura@hotmail.com
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Falasca
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Felici
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Massimi
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dini
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Conti Devirgiliis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D037263:Asialoglycoprotein Receptor; D001212:Asialoglycoproteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002478:Cells, Cultured / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D037263:Asialoglycoprotein Receptor; D001212:Asialoglycoproteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D014212:Tretinoin