title: Effects of nuclear factor-kappaB on rat hepatocyte regeneration and apoptosis after 70% portal branch ligation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To detect the DNA binding activity of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) in rat hepatocyte and to investigate the effects of NF-kappaB on rat hepatocyte regeneration and apoptosis after 70% portal branch ligation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty Wistar rats were randomly divided into control group and portal branch ligation group. The animals were killed 12 h, 1, 2, 3, 7, and 14 d after surgery to determine the contents of plasma ALT. Hepatocytes were isolated and nuclear protein was extracted. DNA binding activity of NF-kappaB was measured by EMSA. Hepatocyte regeneration and apoptosis were observed under microscope by TUNEL staining. The ultrastructural changes of liver were observed under electron microscope.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventy percent portal branch ligation produced atrophy of the ligated lobes and the perfused lobes underwent compensatory regeneration, the total liver weight and plasma ALT levels were maintained at the level of sham-operated animals throughout the experiment. After 2 d of portal branch ligation, DNA binding activity of NF-kappaB in hepatocyte increased and reached its peak, the number of apoptotic hepatocyte in the ligated lobes and the number of mitotic hepatocyte in the perfused lobes also reached their peak. Typical apoptotic changes and evident fibrotic changes in the ligated lobes were observed under electron microscope.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  After 70% portal branch ligation, DNA binding activity of NF-kappaB in hepatocyte is significantly increased and NF-kappaB plays an important role in hepatocyte regeneration and apoptosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital, Wenzhou Medical College, Zhejiang Province, China. yangwenjun165@sohu.com
authors.forename: Wen-Jun
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Qi-Yu
authors.initials: QY
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Zheng-Ping
authors.initials: ZP
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Qi-Tong
authors.initials: QT
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Hua-Ping
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Xiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Guan-Bao
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Fei-Zhao
authors.initials: FZ
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Hong-Qi
authors.initials: HQ
authors.lastname: Shi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D008026:Ligation; D008115:Liver Regeneration / Q000502:physiology*; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism*; D011169:Portal Vein / Q000601:surgery*; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D016328:NF-kappa B