Insulin promotes sinusoidal endothelial cell proliferation mediated by upregulation of vascular endothelial growth factor in regenerating rat liver after partial hepatectomy.

ABSTRACT:

Aim

To determine whether insulin could promote sinusoidal endothelial cell (SEC) proliferation mediated by upregulation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in regenerating rat liver after partial hepatectomy (PHx).

Methods

Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats undergoing 70% PHx were injected with insulin (300 MU/kg) or saline via the tail veins every 8 h after surgery for 7 d and killed at 0, 24, 48, 72, 96, 120, 144, and 168 h after surgery. Proliferation of both hepatocytes and SECs was monitored by evaluating the proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) labeling index (LI). The expression of VEGF protein was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. The mRNA expressions of VEGF and its receptors Flt-1 and Flk-1 were evaluated by semi-quantitative reverse transcription-PCR.

SUBMITTER: Qiao JG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4436720 | biostudies-literature | 2005 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature