title: Molecular mechanisms of apoptosis in the liver of rats after portal branch ligation with and without retrorsine.
abstract: The mechanisms accounting for the atrophy of the portal blood-deprived liver lobes after portal branch ligation (PBL) are still unclear. The first aim of this study was to confirm the role of apoptosis in this process and to determine which apoptotic pathways are involved. The second aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of blocking compensatory hyperplasia of the nonligated lobes with retrorsine on the mechanisms of apoptosis in the ligated lobes. Mitochondrial Bax, Bcl-2 and Bcl-X(L), cytosolic cytochrome c, caspase-3, -8 and -9 activities and TNF-alpha levels were assessed in the liver of rats before and at various time points, ranging from 30 min to 7 days, after PBL. Caspase activities were also measured in rats pretreated with retrorsine. Both the mitochondrial and the death receptor-mediated pathways are activated in the ligated liver lobes after portal branch ligation. Caspase activation is inhibited by retrorsine pretreatment, resulting in fewer apoptotic bodies. Apoptosis accounts for the atrophy of the ligated lobes after PBL. It is inhibited by retrorsine, suggesting an attempt to reduce the loss of liver mass when hyperplasia of the nonligated lobes is impaired
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Gastroenterology, University of Louvain Medical School, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Picard
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Starkel
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sempoux
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saliez
authors.forename: Valérie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lebrun
authors.forename: Yves
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Horsmans
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D001284:Atrophy; D053148:Caspase 3; D053181:Caspase 8; D053453:Caspase 9; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D045304:Cytochromes c / Q000378:metabolism; D006965:Hyperplasia; D008026:Ligation; D008099:Liver / Q000098:blood supply / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D011169:Portal Vein / Q000502:physiology*; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D011763:Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D051020:bcl-X Protein
chemical_list: C494828:Bax protein, rat; C494813:Bcl2l1 protein, rat; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D011763:Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D051020:bcl-X Protein; D045304:Cytochromes c; C505410:Casp3 protein, rat; C505528:Casp8 protein, rat; C506435:Casp9 protein, rat; D053148:Caspase 3; D053181:Caspase 8; D053453:Caspase 9; D020169:Caspases; C003300:retrorsine