title: Implication of stem cell factor in human liver regeneration after transplantation and resection.
abstract: The stem cell factor (SCF), besides regulating hemopoietic stem cells homing and proliferation, has proliferative effects on hepatocytes and may be involved in liver regeneration. We investigate if liver transplantation (LT) and hepatic resection (HR) modify the concentration of soluble SCF (s-SCF) in peripheral blood of 15 LT and 7 HR. s-SCF was measured by ELISA as ng/ml. s-SCF basal levels were higher in LT that in HR (818 +/- 349 vs. 479 +/- 79, p = 0.005). A significant increase of s-SCF, peaking at postoperative day +3, was seen after LT (from 818 +/- 349 to 1212 +/- 461, p = 0.01) and HR (from 479 +/- 79 to 698 +/- 122, p = 0.004). s-SCF peak levels were higher after LT than HR (p = 0.0008). At day +7 s-SCF concentration returned to baseline values. LT have a higher basal s-SCF level than HR. These data show for the first time that liver injury affects s-SCF level and suggest that SCF may be involved also in clinical liver regeneration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery & Transplantation, University of Hospital Udine, Italy. umberto.baccarani@uniud.it
authors.forename: Umberto
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Baccarani
authors.forename: Gianni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Stasio
authors.forename: Gian Luigi
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Adani
authors.forename: Annibale
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Donini
authors.forename: Mauricio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sainz-Barriga
authors.forename: Dario
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lorenzin
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Beltrami
authors.forename: Vittorio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bresadola
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Risaliti
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bresadola
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000601:surgery*; D008115:Liver Regeneration / Q000502:physiology*; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019089:Stem Cell Factor / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D019089:Stem Cell Factor