Characteristics of the cell proliferation profile of activated rat hepatic stellate cells in vitro in contrast to their fibrogenesis activity.
OBJECTIVE
Alterations in the kinetics of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) after the cells are activated once have not been well documented. We investigated the characteristic profiles of cell proliferation of once-activated HSCs in contrast to the in fibrogenesis activity.


METHODS
HSCs from male Wistar rats were submitted to primary culture for 14 days and to secondary culture for 7 days. The potential for cell proliferation was evaluated by the number of the cells in G2/M phase, based on flow cytometric analysis of the cell cycle. The fibrogenesis activity was assessed by Northern blot analysis of the expression of type I and type III procollagen mRNA.


RESULTS
The number of HSCs in G2/M phase was maintained at a low level in primary culture after 6 days, while a significantly (P < 0.05) elevated number of HSCs in G2/M phase was observed on days 3 to 4. In secondary culture, the number of HSCs in G2/M phase was also consecutively maintained at a decreased level. By contrast, HSCs showed progressively increased type I and type III procollagen mRNA expression during the experimental periods of primary culture.


CONCLUSIONS
These results clearly demonstrated consecutively decreased proliferative activity, evaluated by the potential for cell mitogenesis, in once-activated HSCs, in contrast to their progressively increased fibrogenesis activity.
Suzuki
C
C
Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Yamaguchi University School of Medicine, Ube, Japan.
Kayano
K
K
Uchida
K
K
Sakaida
I
I
Okita
K
K
D000818:Animals; D002455:Cell Division / Q000235:genetics; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D007399:Interphase / Q000502:physiology*; D007564:Japan; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D011347:Procollagen / Q000032:analysis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D016196:S Phase / Q000502:physiology
D011347:Procollagen; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D004247:DNA