Expression of epidermal growth factor receptor protein in the liver of db/db mice after partial hepatectomy.
Liver regeneration was impaired after partial hepatectomy (PH) in leptin receptor-deficient db/db mice with severe liver steatosis. In the present study, we analyzed the mode of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) protein expression in the liver of 5- and 10-week-old db/db and age-matched control mice. In 5-week-old db/db mice, neither the expression of EGFR protein in the intact liver nor the rate of liver regeneration after PH was significantly different from that in age-matched control mice. However, in 10-week-old db/db mice, the level of EGFR protein expression was very low and liver regeneration was prominently suppressed. Histopathologically, much severer fatty change was observed in the liver of 10-week-old db/db mice than 5-week-old db/db mice. These results suggest that the down-regulation of EGFR protein expression is associated with an impairment of liver regeneration in db/db mice and that the severity of hepatic steatosis plays an indirect role in the impairment of liver regeneration by modifying EGFR expression.
Shirai
Makoto
M
Department of Veterinary Pathology, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan.
Yamauchi
Hirofumi
H
Nakayama
Hiroyuki
H
Doi
Kunio
K
Uetsuka
Koji
K
D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D015536:Down-Regulation; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006498:Hepatectomy; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008115:Liver Regeneration / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D054411:Receptors, Leptin / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000235:genetics