Relationship between somatostatin receptors and activation of hepatic stellate cells.
BACKGROUND
Somafostatin receptors (SSTRs) have been suggested to involve in mediating the effect of somatostatin on hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) in an activation-dependent way. We, therefore, try to investigate the relationship between expression of SSTRs and activation of rat HSCs.


METHODS
HSCs were isolated from rats by in situ perfusion and single-step density gradient centrifugation. SSTR1-5 mRNA levels in the differentiated first passage HSCs were detected by means of a reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. On the other hand, hepatic fibrosis was induced in adult male Sprague-Dawley rats by carbon tetrachloride intoxication, and the expression of SSTR1-5 in normal as well as fibrotic livers was measured by immunohistochemical staining.


RESULTS
SSTR mRNA and SSTR could not be found in freshly isolated rat HSCs or normal rat liver. However, SSTR1-3 mRNA appeared as HSCs became wholly activated, and could also be identified on the membrane of activated HSCs in the perisinusoid space, fibrous septa, etc.


CONCLUSIONS
The expression of SSTR1-3 in the rat HSC is closely related to its activation. This may reflect one of the main negative regulation mechanisms in the course of HSC activation.
Pan
Qin
Q
Department of Gastroenterology, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Second Medical University, Shanghai 200092, China. fangchunhua@online.sh.cn
Li
Ding-Guo
DG
Lu
Han-Ming
HM
Lu
Liang-Yong
LY
You
Han-Ning
HN
Xu
Qin-Fang
QF
D000818:Animals; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017481:Receptors, Somatostatin / Q000235:genetics*
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D017481:Receptors, Somatostatin