The role of non-parenchymal cells in the liver tissue remodeling.

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25461966
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: General surgery
• Research Institution: University of Yamanashi (2015); Hyogo Medical University (2013-2014)
• Principal Investigator: IIMURO Yuji 山梨大学, 総合研究部, 医学研究員 (30252018)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): SUZUMURA Kazuhiro 兵庫医科大学, 医学部, 講師 (50434949) ; FUJIMOTO Jiro 兵庫医科大学, 医学部, 教授 (90199373) ; HIRANO Tadamichi 兵庫医科大学, 医学部, 准教授 (90340968)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): IKEDA Kazuo 大阪市立大学, 医学部, 教授 (80275247)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 肝線維化 / 脾摘 / 肝幹細胞 / 単球 / マクロファージ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Splenectomy (SP) improves liver function in cirrhotic patients. We investigated the mechanism. C57BL/6 male mice were treated with thioacetamide (TAA) for 32 weeks. After SP at 32 weeks, mice were sacrificed on days 1, 7, and 28, respectively. After SP, thrombocytopenia and leukocytopenia were improved, and liver fibrosis was attenuated. Meanwhile, progenitor-like cells expressing CK-19, EpCAM, or CD-133 appeared along the fibrous scar after TAA treatment, and gradually disappeared after SP. Wnt2 protein expression in liver monocytes and accumulation of β-catenin in the progenitor-like cells were confirmed. In cirrhotic patients with HCC, thrombocytopenia and lekocytopenia were quickly attenuated after SP. In the liver, accumulation of round- or oval-shaped macrophages/monocytes positive for CD163 was detected after SP, and they existed closely to the CK19-positive cells, which spread out from the ductular reactions, suggesting interaction between these cells.

Free Research Field

消化器外科