Thy-1 is an in vivo and in vitro marker of liver myofibroblasts.
Thy-1, a glycophosphatidylinositol-linked glycoprotein of the outer membrane leaflet, has been described in myofibroblasts of several organs. Previous studies have shown that, in fetal liver, Thy-1 is expressed in a subpopulation of ductular/progenitor cells. The aim of this study has been to investigate whether the liver myofibroblasts belong to the Thy-1-positive subpopulation of the adult liver. The expression of Thy-1 has been studied in normal rat liver, in the rat liver regeneration model following 2-acetylaminofluorene treatment and partial hepatectomy (AAF/PH), and in isolated rat liver cells, at the mRNA and protein levels. In normal rat liver, Thy-1 is detected in sparse cells of the periportal area, whereas 7 days after PH in the AAF/PH model, a marked increase of the number of Thy-1-positive cells is detectable by immunohistochemistry. Comparative immunohistochemical analysis has revealed the co-localization of Thy-1 and smooth muscle actin, but not of Thy-1 and cytokeratin-19, both in normal rat liver and in the AAF/PH model. Investigation of isolated rat liver cell populations has confirmed that liver myofibroblasts are Thy-1-positive cells, whereas hepatocytes, hepatic stellate cells, and liver macrophages are not. Thy-1 is the first cell surface marker for identifying liver myofibroblasts in vivo and in vitro.
Dudas
Jozsef
J
Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Gastroenterology and Endocrinology, Georg August University Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Strasse 40, 37075 Göttingen, Germany.
Mansuroglu
Tümen
T
Batusic
Danko
D
Saile
Bernhard
B
Ramadori
Giuliano
G
D015073:2-Acetylaminofluorene / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D002469:Cell Separation; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006498:Hepatectomy; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000601:surgery; D008115:Liver Regeneration; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D018800:Thy-1 Antigens / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D015415:Biomarkers; D018800:Thy-1 Antigens; D015073:2-Acetylaminofluorene