Inducible expression of Wnt genes during adult hepatic stem/progenitor cell response.
In injured livers where hepatocyte growth is severely limited, facultative hepatic stem/progenitor cells, termed oval cells in rodents, are known to emerge and contribute to the regeneration process. Here, we investigated a possible involvement of Wnt signaling during mouse oval cell response and found significant upregulation of several Wnt genes including Wnt7a, Wnt7b, and Wnt10a. Accordingly, increase of beta-catenin protein was observed in oval cell compartments. Pharmacological activation of the canonical Wnt/beta-catenin signaling induced proliferation of cultured hepatic stem/progenitor cell lines. These results together implicate the role of Wnt/beta-catenin signaling in adult hepatic stem/progenitor cell response.
Itoh
Tohru
T
Laboratory of Cell Growth and Differentiation, Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0032, Japan.
Kamiya
Yoshiko
Y
Okabe
Mayuko
M
Tanaka
Minoru
M
Miyajima
Atsushi
A
D000818:Animals; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D001562:Benzimidazoles / Q000378:metabolism; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000378:metabolism; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000096:biosynthesis; D003997:Dicarbethoxydihydrocollidine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000071858:Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecule; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008156:Luciferases / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D014162:Transfection; D051153:Wnt Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D001562:Benzimidazoles; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D000071858:Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecule; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D051153:Wnt Proteins; D003997:Dicarbethoxydihydrocollidine; D008156:Luciferases; C017807:bisbenzimide ethoxide trihydrochloride