title: Decreased expression of stem cell factor mRNA and protein in the gallbladders of guinea pigs fed on high cholesterol diet.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Sufficient evidence suggests that the c-kit protooncogene receptor and its ligand stem cell factor (scf) signal pathway play a crucial role in interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs) development and maintenance of their phenotype. We aimed to determine the expressions of scf mRNA and scf protein in the gallbladders in guinea pigs fed on high cholesterol diet (HCD).
  
  
  METHODS
  The gallbladder and serum samples from 20 guinea pigs of HCD and from 20 guinea pigs of standard diet (StD) were used for this study. Serum lipid analysis was performed using standard laboratory procedure. Expression of scf mRNA was detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and expression of scf protein was detected by Western blot analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Laboratory results showed serum total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol , high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and triglyceride (TG) concentrations were significantly higher in the HCD group than in the StD group of guinea pigs (P < 0.001, respectively). Decreased expression of scf mRNA and protein were demonstrated in the HCD group compared with the StD group (P < 0.05 respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The data indicates that the expression of scf mRNA and c-kit protein is significantly decreased in the gallbladders in guinea pigs of HCD.
authors.affiliation: Department of The Second General Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University Shenyang City, Liaoning Province, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.affiliation: Department of The Second General Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University Shenyang City, Liaoning Province, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Shuodong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of The Second General Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University Shenyang City, Liaoning Province, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Beibei
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.affiliation: Department of The Second General Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University Shenyang City, Liaoning Province, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xiaoyu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: Department of The Second General Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University Shenyang City, Liaoning Province, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xinpeng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of The Second General Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University Shenyang City, Liaoning Province, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
keywords: Gallbladder; interstitial Cajal-like cells; stem cell factor