title: Leucine stimulates the secretion of hepatocyte growth factor by hepatic stellate cells.
abstract: Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) modulate various cellular functions, in addition to providing substrates for the production of proteins. In this study, we examined the effect of BCAAs on the secretion of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) by hepatic stellate cells. A hepatic stellate cell clone was cultured in medium supplemented with various concentrations of valine, leucine, or isoleucine. Of these BCAAs, leucine markedly induced an increase in the levels of HGF in the medium in a dose-dependent manner. The addition of valine or isoleucine had no significant effect on HGF levels in the medium. The difference in levels of HGF in the medium between leucine-treated and non-treated cells was enhanced by the incubation period. These results demonstrate that, among BCAAs, leucine stimulates the secretion of HGF by cultured hepatic stellate cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan. tomiya-1im@h.u-tokyo.ac.jp
authors.forename: Tomoaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tomiya
authors.forename: Yukiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: Mikio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yanase
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arai
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ikeda
authors.forename: Kazuaki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tejima
authors.forename: Kayo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nagashima
authors.forename: Takako
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nishikawa
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fujiwara
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003470:Culture Media / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D007532:Isoleucine / Q000378:metabolism; D007930:Leucine / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology; D015233:Models, Statistical; D051381:Rats; D013997:Time Factors; D014633:Valine / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D007532:Isoleucine; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor; D007930:Leucine; D014633:Valine