RESUMO
Objective:To investigate the effects of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) on hepatic sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) proliferation, migration, and hepatocyte proliferation.Methods:Eighteen male C57BL/6 mouse aged 6-8 weeks old were underwent partial hepatectomy. Cell proliferation and HO-1 expression in residual liver tissue were detected by immunofluorescence histochemistry at 0 d, 2 d and 4 d after operation. In vitro, LSECs were transfected with adenovirus carrying HO-1 gene (HO-1 group), and the cells were transfected with empty vector adenovirus and the non-transfected cells were used as control. In addition, LSECs from different transfection groups were co-cultured with hepatocyte without contact to evaluate the effect of HO-1 expression on promoting hepatocyte proliferation. Western Blotting and RT-PCR were used to detect the protein and mRNA expression of HO-1, inhibitor of DNA binding and or differentiation (Id1), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and Wnt2. Cell proliferation was detected by EdU. The ability of cell migration was detected by Transwell migration assay.Results:Compared with 0 d after hepatectomy, LSECs proliferation and HO-1 expression within LSECs were increased significantly at 4 d after surgery. EdU positive rate of LSECs in HO-1 group (27.20±4.80)% was higher than that in empty vector group (12.47±3.30)% and non-transfected group (15.97±2.50)%. The number of LSECs migration in HO-1 group (258.70±36.56) was higher than that in empty vector group (122.00±38.16) and non-transfected group (107.70±30.01). The protein and mRNA expression level of HO-1, Id1, HGF and Wnt2 in HO-1 group were higher than that in empty vector group and non-transfected group. EdU positive rate of hepatocytes that co-cultured with LSECs in HO-1 group (18.33±2.52) % was higher than that in empty vector group (11.33±1.53)% and non-transfected group (11.7±2.08)%. The differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). Conclusion:Up-regulation of HO-1 promoted LSECs proliferation and migration of, as well as up-regulation of HO-1 in LSECs enhanced the capacity of LSECs to promote hepatocyte proliferation.