The role of hepsin, a cell-surfaceserine protease

• Project/Area Number: 11670542
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Gastroenterology
• Research Institution: Tokyo Woman's Medical University
• Principal Investigator: FURUKAWA Midori Tokyo Woman's Medical University, 医学部, 助手 (00312033)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): KURACHI Kotoku Unv. Of Mi Med. School, Dept of Human Ge, Professor, 医学部・人類遺伝学, 教授
• Project Period (FY): 1999 – 2001
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2001)
• Budget Amount: ¥3,600,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,600,000); Fiscal Year 2001: ¥700,000 (Direct Cost: ¥700,000); Fiscal Year 2000: ¥1,400,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,400,000); Fiscal Year 1999: ¥1,500,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,500,000)
• Keywords: hepsin / knock out / liver regeneration / hepatitis / HGF / LECラット

Research Abstract

1 The role of hepsin on the regeneration of the liver
To study its function in vivo, we have disrupted the mouse hepsin gene by homologous recombination. Groups of hepsin -/- mice and wild-type mice were subjected to 70 % partial hepatectomy to induce liver regenerstion. Liver regeneration rate was changed in hepsin deficient mice.
2 Hepsin and hepatitis, hepatocellular carcinoma
The Long-Evans Cinnamon (LEC) rat, when survives acute hepatitis, develops chronic hepatitis, and subsequently hepatocellular carcinoma. Hepsin mRNA were studied using the liver of LEC rat over the period of 1 year. Differences were clear in the rats with hepatitis and hepatocellular carcinoma.
3 Relation of hepsin and HGF (hepatocyte growth factor)
The levels of hepsin mRNA with or without HGF in the medium were studied by use of hepatoma cell line, HepG2 cells. No significant difference of hepsin expression was seen in this experiment.