title: Establishment and characterization of immortalized porcine hepatocytes for the study of hepatocyte xenotransplantation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In light of the critical shortage of donor livers, xenogeneic sources offer the best alternative to human hepatocytes for the treatment of acute liver failure. This study investigated whether a combination of simian virus 40 large T antigen (SV40 LT) and human telomerase catalytic subunit (hTERT) genes could immortalize primary porcine hepatocytes that could reverse acute liver failure (ALF) in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  We cotransfected SV40 LT and hTERT genes into primary porcine hepatocytes to examine the features of the transfected cell lines. We characterized the potentially therapeutic effect of immortalized porcine hepatocytes in a rat model of ALF induced by 90% hepatectomy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  An immortalized porcine hepatocyte cell line, HepLi, was expanded by >250 passages. HepLi cells maintained the defining characteristics of primary porcine hepatocytes, including porcine albumin secretion, urea production, and diazepam metabolism. Intrasplenic transplantation of HepLi cells significantly improved liver function, and significantly prolonging the survival of rats with ALF.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cotransfection of SV40 LT and hTERT immortalized primary porcine hepatocytes without tumorigenicity in vitro. The Immortalized porcine hepatocytes served as a potential cell resource for xenotransplantation.
authors.affiliation: First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Zhejiang University, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Du
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sheng
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lv
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000952:Antigens, Polyomavirus Transforming / Q000235:genetics; D002455:Cell Division; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System / Q000235:genetics; D003975:Diazepam / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000637:transplantation* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D012190:Retroviridae / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000378:metabolism; D013154:Spleen / Q000601:surgery; D013552:Swine; D019098:Telomerase / Q000235:genetics*; D014162:Transfection; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous / Q000276:immunology*; D014508:Urea / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000952:Antigens, Polyomavirus Transforming; D012709:Serum Albumin; D014508:Urea; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System; D019098:Telomerase; D003975:Diazepam