title: Autologous adipose tissue‑derived mesenchymal stem cells are involved in rat liver regeneration following repeat partial hepatectomy.
abstract: Adipose tissue‑derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADSCs) have been considered to be attractive and readily available adult mesenchymal stem cells, and they are becoming increasingly popular for use in regenerative cell therapy, as they are readily accessible through minimally invasive techniques. The present study investigated whether autologous ADSC transplantation promoted liver regeneration following a repeat partial hepatectomy in rats. The rats were divided into three groups as follows: 70% partial hepatectomy (PH) group; repeat PH (R‑PH) group and R‑PH/ADSC group, subjected to R‑PH and treated with autologous ADSCs via portal vein injection. In each group, the rats were sacrificed at different time points postoperatively in order to evaluate the changes in liver function and to estimate the liver regenerative response. The expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) labeling index in the liver was measured using immunohistochemistry. The expression levels of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) mRNA were measured using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The results showed that regeneration of the remaining liver following R‑PH was significantly promoted by ADSC transplantation, as shown by a significant increase in liver to body weight ratio and the PCNA labeling index at 24 h post‑hepatectomy. Additionally, ADSC transplantation markedly inhibited the elevation of serum levels of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and total bilirubin, increased HGF content and also attenuated hepatic vacuolar degeneration 24 h postoperatively. Furthermore, the liver was found to almost fully recover from hepatocellular damage due to hepatectomy among the three groups at 168 h postoperatively. These results indicated that autologous ADSC transplantation enhanced the regenerative capacity of the remnant liver tissues in the early phase following R‑PH.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Tianjin First Central Hospital, Key Laboratory for Critical Care Medicine of the Ministry of Health, Tianjin 300192, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Tianjin First Central Hospital, Key Laboratory for Critical Care Medicine of the Ministry of Health, Tianjin 300192, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mu
authors.affiliation: Department of Transplantation Surgery, Tianjin First Central Hospital, Key Laboratory for Critical Care Medicine of the Ministry of Health, Tianjin 300192, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Zhongyang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Department of Transplantation Surgery, Tianjin First Central Hospital, Key Laboratory for Critical Care Medicine of the Ministry of Health, Tianjin 300192, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Zhuolun
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Union Stem and Gene Engineering Co., Ltd., Tianjin 300384, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Xiaobo
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Tianjin First Central Hospital, Key Laboratory for Critical Care Medicine of the Ministry of Health, Tianjin 300192, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Yuliang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000166:cytology*; D000818:Animals; D048430:Cell Shape; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006498:Hepatectomy; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008115:Liver Regeneration; D008297:Male; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D010641:Phenotype; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous
chemical_list: D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor