• BMB Reports
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.58-59
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• 2017

The beneficial paracrine roles of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in tissue repair have potential in therapeutic strategies against various diseases. However, the key therapeutic factors secreted from MSCs and their exact molecular mechanisms of action remain unclear. In this study, the cell-free secretome of umbilical cord-derived MSCs showed significant anti-fibrotic activity in the mouse models of liver fibrosis. The involved action mechanism was the regulation of hepatic stellate cell activation by direct inhibition of the $TGF{\beta}$/Smad-signaling. Antagonizing the milk fat globule-EGF factor 8 (MFGE8) activity blocked the anti-fibrotic effects of the MSC secretome in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, MFGE8 was secreted by MSCs from the umbilical cord as well as other tissues, including teeth and bone marrow. Administration of recombinant MFGE8 protein alone had a significant anti-fibrotic effect in two different models of liver fibrosis. Additionally, MFGE8 downregulated $TGF{\beta}$ type I receptor expression by binding to ${\alpha}v{\beta}3$ integrin on HSCs. These findings revealed the potential role of MFGE8 in modulating $TGF{\beta}$-signaling. Thus, MFGE8 could serve as a novel therapeutic agent for liver fibrosis.

• BMB Reports
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• v.55 no.8
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• pp.401-406
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• 2022

Ahnak, a large protein first identified as an inhibitor of TGF-β signaling in human neuroblastoma, was recently shown to promote TGF-β in some cancers. The TGF-β signaling pathway regulates cell growth, various biological functions, and cancer growth and metastasis. In this study, we used Ahnak knockout (KO) mice that underwent a 70% partial hepatectomy (PH) to investigate the function of Ahnak in TGF-β signaling during liver regeneration. At the indicated time points after PH, we analyzed the mRNA and protein expression of the TGF -β/Smad signaling pathway and cell cycle-related factors, evaluated the cell cycle through proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) immunostaining, analyzed the mitotic index by hematoxylin and eosin staining. We also measured the ratio of liver tissue weight to body weight. Activation of TGF-β signaling was confirmed by analyzing the levels of phospho-Smad 2 and 3 in the liver at the indicated time points after PH and was lower in Ahnak KO mice than in WT mice. The expression levels of cyclin B1, D1, and E1; proteins in the Rb/E2F transcriptional pathway, which regulates the cell cycle; and the numbers of PCNA-positive cells were increased in Ahnak KO mice and showed tendencies opposite that of TGF-β expression. During postoperative regeneration, the liver weight to body weight ratio tended to increase faster in Ahnak KO mice. However, 7 days after PH, both groups of mice showed similar rates of regeneration, following which their active regeneration stopped. Analysis of hepatocytes undergoing mitosis showed that there were more mitotic cells in Ahnak KO mice, consistent with the weight ratio. Our findings suggest that Ahnak enhances TGF-β signaling during postoperative liver regeneration, resulting in cell cycle disruption; this highlights a novel role of Ahnak in liver regeneration. These results provide new insight into liver regeneration and potential treatment targets for liver diseases that require surgical treatment.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2013.05a
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• pp.171-172
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• 2013

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.115-123
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• 2012

Human placenta extract (hPE) has therapeutic potential against certain diseases such as burn injury, liver cirrhosis and chronic wound through stimulating tissue repair processes. However, the effects of hPE on liver regeneration in animals are unknown. This study investigated the effect of hPE on the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) during liver regeneration induced by partial hepatectomy (PH) in rats. The activities of AST, ALT and ALP increased during a few days after PH. A high level of ALP was particularly seen at day 3 in the control group. All the levels of experimental groups were normalized by day 5 after PH. On immunohistochemistry, the expression of PCNA increased at the early days, showed a peak at day 3 after PH. The PCNA staining was more obvious in the experimental group over the whole period. By western blotting, PCNA seemed to be more strongly expressed in the hPE injected group in the early stage and fell to almost undetectable levels at day 7. On immunocytochemical observations, the number of PCNA-gold particles in the nuclei at day 1 of the hPE treated groups was more than those of the untreated groups. The results suggest that hPE could accelerate liver regeneration induced by PH involving the expression of PCNA in rats.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 1998

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), originally discovered and cloned as a powerful mitogen for hepatocytes, is a four kringle-containing growth factor which specifically binds to membrane-spanning tyrosine kinase, c-Met/HGF receptor. HGF has mitogenic, motogenic (enhancement of cell movement), morphogenic (e.g., induction of branching tubulogenesis), and anti-apoptotic activities for a wide variety of cells. During embryogenesis, HGF supports organogenesis and morphogenesis of various tissues, including liver, kidney, lung, gut, mammary gland, and tooth. In adult tissues HGF elicits an organotrophic function which supports regeneration of organs such as liver, kidney, lung, and vascular tissues. HGF is also a novel member of neurotrophic factor in nervous systems. Together with the preferential expression of HGF in mesenchymal or stromal cells, and c-Met/HGF receptor In epithelial or endothelial cells, the HGF-Met coupling seems to orchestrate dynamic morphogenic processes through epithelial-mesenchymal (or-stromal) interactions for organogenesis and organ regeneration. HGF or HGF gene may well become unique therapeutic tools for treatment of patients with various organ failure, through its actions to reconstruct organized tissue architectures. This review focuses on recently characterized biological and physiological functions integrated by HGF-Met coupling during organogenesis and organ regeneration.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.70-78
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• 1982

To investigate the effect of 'Saengkankunbi-Tang' on the liver tissue recovery in about 70% cutted rat liver, the observation on the photographing by the Gamma-camera and the electromicroscopic section against the rabbit liver induced by $CCl_4$, these studies were conducted. The results were summarized as follows; Observed on the liver tissue recovery, function regeneration and body weight increase in about 70% cutted rat liver, the recovery of liver tissue and body weight were increased with the passage of the time and also they were showed to the high increase rate in proportion to administration amount. The glucose content in the serum was found in increasing tide as compared with the control group. The alkaline phosphate activity in the serum showed the significant difference in the 10th day and 13th day as compared with the control group. The ammonia content in the blood showed the significant difference only in the 10th day. Observed on the photographing by the Gamma-camera against the rabbit liver induced by $CCl_4$, sample groups were shown to be significant recovery as compared with the control group. Observed on the electromicroscopic section, sample groups showed the control action of the nuclear destruction against the rabbit liver induced by $CCl_4$ and also they showed the control action of the expansion of glycogen and granular endothelial reticulum in cytoplasm. According to the above finding, it is presume that 'Saengkankunbi-Tang' can be applicable to the extensive treatment of liver disease.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.239-246
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• 1997

In the present study, liver regeneration rate (%) was increased up to 70% 3 days after partial hepatectomy (PH). Nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity in liver tissue as well as serum nitrite/ nitrate content had no timed response, revealing no significant difference between shamoperated and partially hepatectomized rat liver. Contents of free methylarginines in liver tissue were increased biphasically in a time-dependent manner after PH. However, those in serum did not exhibit the same patterns as in liver. Taken together, the results suggest that $N^{G}$-monomethyl-L-arginine (MMA) and $ N^{G}, N^{G}$-dimethylarginine (DMA) play a role in inhibiting nitric oxide (NO) synthesis in regenerating rat liver because the increase of their contents was synchronized with NOS expression.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.3-22
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• 1966

An experimental study was done on rabbits to observe the effects of several anticlonorchial drugs on the pathology of the liver infested with Clonorchis sinensis. After two months of infestation with Clonorchis sinensis by giving $400{\sim}500$ metacercariae by mouth, hexachlorophene, chloroquine 2,2' methylenebis (3,4,6 trichlorophenoxy acetic acid) and Hetol were administered orally and follow up macro-and microscopic studies of the liver pathology were done in 2 to 3 days, one month, 2 months and 3 months after the completion of medications. The results obtained in this study are as follows: 1. In both groups which were administered hexachlorophene piperazine 20mg/kg for seven days or 8mg/kg for 18 days, the macroscopic findings of the liver after 3 months revealed only minimal changes of the color and consistency The histopathological findings were the reduction of fibrosis, pseudolobulation, proliferation and adenomatous hyperplasia of bile ducts, and regeneration of liver parenchyma. 2. In groups which were administered chloroquine phosphate 20mg/kg for 18 days or 40mg/kg for 5 days, and also in groups which were administered dithiazanine iodide 30mg/kg for 18 days or 60mg/kg for 5 days, no significant findings of recovery were observed either macroscopically or microscopically. 3. In the group which was given 20mg/kg of 2,2' methylenebis(3,4,6 trichlorophenoxy acetic acid) for 5 days, prominent healing of the damaged tissues was observed after 2 months, revealing the decrease of fibrous tissue, caliber of bile ducts and adenomatous hyperplasia of the epitherial cells of the bile ducts, and regenerationof liver parenchyma. 4. In the group which was given Hetol 200mg/kg for 5 days, swelling, congestion and eddish-brown discoloration of the liver were noted macroscopically after 3 days of completion of drug administration. Hemorrhage, congestion, necrosis and degeneration of the parenchyma were observed microscopically After 10 days, liver appeared almost normal macroscopically, but marked fat degeneration was noted microscopically. After 2 months, the liver was almost normal in gross appearence with only slight atrophy and also marked healing was observed microscopically, i. e. decrease of fibrous tissue and reduction of the previously enlarged bile duct and the regeneration of the liver parenchyma.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2008.11a
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• pp.1419-1426
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• 2008

Fulminant hepatic failure is a clinical syndrome associated with a high mortality rate. Orthotopic liver transplantation is the only clinically proven effective treatment for patients with end-stage liver disease who do not respond to medical management. A major limitation of this treatment modality is the scarcity of donor organs available, resulting in patients dying while waiting for a donor liver. An extracorporeal bioartificial liver (BAL) device containing viable hepatocytes has the potential to provide temporary hepatic support to liver failure patients, serving as a bridge to transplantation while awaiting a suitable donor. In some patients, providing temporary hepatic support may be sufficient to allow adequate regeneration of the host liver, thereby eliminating the need for a liver transplant. Although the BAL device is a promising technology for the treatment of liver failure, there are several technical challenges that must be overcome in order to develop systems with sufficient processing capacity and of manageable size. In this overview, the authors describe the critical issues involved in developing a BAL device. They also discuss their experiences in hepatocyte culture optimization within the context of a microchannel flat-plate BAL device.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.73-80
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• 2010

Liver regeneration is a result of highly coordinated proliferation of hepatocytes and nonparenchymal liver cells. Partial hepatectomy (PH) is the most often used stimulus to study liver regeneration because, compared with other methods that use hepatic toxins, it is not associated with the tissue injury and inflammation, and the initiation of the regenerative stimulus is precisely defined. Granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), which is a cytokine able to regulate the proliferation and differentiation of epithelial cells, was first identified as the most potent mitogen for bone marrow. Particularly, rrhGM-CSF, which is highly glycosylated and sustained longer than any other types of GM-CSF in the blood circulation, was specifically produced from rice cell culture. In this experiment, effects of rrhGM-CSF administration were evaluated in the regenerating liver after 78% PH of rats. Morphological changes induced by PH were characterized by destroyed hepatocyte plate around the central vein and enlarged nuclear cytoplasmic ratio and increased hepatocytes with two nuclei. And then, proliferation of liver cells (parenchymal and nonparenchymal) and rearrangement of plates and lobules seemed to be carried out during liver regeneration. These alterations in the experimental group preceded those of the control. Since proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) is known to be a nuclear protein maximally elevated in the S phase of proliferating cells, the protein was used as a marker of liver regeneration after PH in rats. PCNA levels by western blot analysis and immunohistology were compared between the two groups. PCNA protein expression of two groups at 12 hr and 24 hr after injury showed similar pattern. The protein expression showed the peak at 3 days in both groups, however, the protein level of the experimental group was higher than that of the control. On immunohistochemical observations, the reaction product of PCNA was localized at the nuclei of proliferating cells and the positive reaction in experimental group at 3 days was clearly stronger than that in control group. The results by Western blotting and immunohistology for PCNA showed similar pattern in terms of the protein levels. In conclusion, rrhGM-CSF administration during liver regeneration after 78% PH accelerated breakdown and restoration of the hepatic plate and expression of PCNA. These results suggest that rrhGM-CSF might play an important role during liver regeneration in rats.