Lack of Matrilin-2 favors liver tumor development via Erk1/2 and GSK-3β pathways in vivo.

ABSTRACT: Matrilin-2 (Matn2) is a multidomain adaptor protein which plays a role in the assembly of extracellular matrix (ECM). It is produced by oval cells during stem cell-driven liver regeneration. In our study, the impact of Matn2 on hepatocarcinogenesis was investigated in Matn2(-/-) mice comparing them with wild-type (WT) mice in a diethylnitrosamine (DEN) model. The liver tissue was analyzed macroscopically, histologically and immunohistochemically, at protein level by Proteome Profiler Arrays and Western blot analysis. Matn2(-/-) mice exhibited higher susceptibility to hepatocarcinogenesis compared to wild-type mice. In the liver of Matn2(-/-) mice, spontaneous microscopic tumor foci were detected without DEN treatment. After 15 μg/g body weight DEN treatment, the liver of Matn2(-/-) mice co

SUBMITTER: Fullar A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3972106 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature