β-adrenergic receptor agonist promotes ductular expansion during 3,5-diethoxycarbonyl-1,4-dihydrocollidine-induced chronic liver injury.

ABSTRACT: Intrahepatic nerves are involved in the regulation of metabolic reactions and hepatocyte-based regeneration after surgical resection, although their contribution to chronic liver injury remains unknown. Given that intrahepatic nerves are abundant in the periportal tissue, they may be correlated also with cholangiocyte-based regeneration. Here we demonstrate that isoproterenol (ISO), a β-adrenergic receptor agonist, promoted ductular expansion induced by 3,5-diethoxycarbonyl-1,4-dihydrocollidine (DDC) in vivo. Immunofluorescence analysis shows that nerve fibers positive for tyrosine hydroxylase form synaptophysin-positive nerve endings on epithelial cell adhesion molecule-positive (EpCAM+) cholangiocytes as well as on Thy1+ periportal mesenchymal cells (PMCs) that surround bile ducts, sugge

SUBMITTER: Tanimizu N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10151327 | biostudies-literature | 2023 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature