Expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha converting enzyme in liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy.
OBJECTIVE
To study the expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha converting enzyme (TACE) and evaluate its significance in liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy in vivo.


METHODS
Male SD rats underwent 70% partial hepatectomy. The remaining liver and spleen tissue samples were collected at indicated time points after hepatectomy. TACE expression was investigated by Western blotting, immunohistochemistry, and serial section immunostaining.


RESULTS
Expression of TACE in liver and spleen tissues after partial hepatectomy was a time-dependent alteration, reaching a maximal level between 24 and 48 h and remaining elevated for more than 168 h. TACE protein was localized to mononuclear cells (MNC), which infiltrated the liver from the spleen after hepatectomy. The kinetics of TACE expression was in accordance with the number of TACE-staining MNCs and synchronized with those of transforming growth factor-alpha (TGFalpha). In addition, TACE-staining MNC partially overlapped with CD3+ T lymphocytes.


CONCLUSIONS
TACE may be involved in liver regeneration by pathway mediated with TGFalpha-EGFR in the cell-cycle progressive phase in vivo. TACE production and effect by paracrine may be a pathway of involvement in liver regeneration for the activated CD3+ T lymphocytes.
Lin
Xian-Ming
XM
Department of Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310009, Zhejiang Province, China.
Liu
Ying-Bin
YB
Zhou
Fan
F
Wu
Yu-Lian
YL
Chen
Li
L
Fang
He-Qing
HQ
D051722:ADAM Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D000072198:ADAM17 Protein; D000818:Animals; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000378:metabolism; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000378:metabolism; D006498:Hepatectomy; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000201:enzymology; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000201:enzymology; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000601:surgery; D008115:Liver Regeneration / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013154:Spleen / Q000201:enzymology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D013997:Time Factors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
D017252:CD3 Complex; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C483803:Egfr protein, rat; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D051722:ADAM Proteins; D000072198:ADAM17 Protein; C000606464:Adam17 protein, rat