Expression of ADAMTS-1, ADAMTS-4, ADAMTS-5 and TIMP3 by hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines.

Little is known about the expression or role of ADAMTS-1, -4 and -5 and their endogenous inhibitor TIMP3 in the liver in physiological and pathological conditions. Their expression was, therefore, investigated in the hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines HepG2 and HuH-7 using qRT-PCR and western blotting, and their cellular localisation by immunocytochemistry. Cytokine treatments were used to assess mRNA and protein modulation. ADAMTS-1, -4, -5 and TIMP3 mRNA and protein were detected in both HepG2 and HuH-7 cells. IL-1ß and IL-6 treatments significantly modulated ADAMTS-1 mRNA expression and IL-1ß treatment ADAMTS-4 mRNA expression in HepG2 cells. Modulations of mRNA by ≥ 5-fold did not translate to increased protein expression. This study showed that ADAMTS-1, -4, -5 and TIMP3 were expressed at differential levels in hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines. The pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1ß, TNF-α or IL-6 induced changes in mRNA expression, although these did not translate to the protein level.

Effects of pro-inflammatory cytokines on the production of soluble fractalkine and ADAM17 by HepG2 cells.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Soluble fractalkine is increased in the liver during times of injury; however the effect of pro-inflammatory cytokines in this process is currently unknown. The aim of this study was to determine whether pro-inflammatory cytokines elevated in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma influence fractalkine shedding from HepG2 cells and whether ADAM17 was involved in this process. METHODS: In vitro experiments were performed in the human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line HepG2. Soluble fractalkine was detected using an ELISA. ADAM17 expression was investigated using quantitative real time (reverse transcription)-polymerase chain reaction and flow cytometry. Short interfering RNA transfection was used to down-regulate ADAM17 expression. RESULTS: Soluble fractalkine was present in supernatants of HepG2 cells, and was significantly increased by interleukin-1ß (p ≤ 0.005) and tumour necrosis factor-α (p ≤ 0.043), but not by interleukin-6 (p ≥ 0.316). This corresponded to minor increases in ADAM17 protein, but not ADAM17 mRNA, following the same treatments. However, the down-regulation of ADAM17 protein did not affect fractalkine shedding. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that soluble fractalkine is up-regulated under inflammatory conditions associated with hepatocellular carcinoma development, but ADAM17 does not appear to be responsible for regulating this process.

Biology of colorectal liver metastases: A review.

Metastatic growth is a selective, non-random process, which in the case of colorectal cancer, frequently occurs in the liver and is the major cause of cancer related death in these patients. This review summarises attempts to find biological and molecular markers of metastasis and their role in establishment of secondary tumours. Recent evidence suggests that liver metastases are phenotypically different to the primary from which they were derived and thus represent a separate disease entity.

Early increases in plasminogen activator activity following partial hepatectomy in humans.

BACKGROUND: Increases in urokinase-like plasminogen activator (uPA) activity are reported to be amongst the earliest events occurring in remnant liver following partial hepatectomy in rats, and have been proposed as a key component of the regenerative response. Remodelling of the extracellular matrix, conversion of single chain hepatocyte growth factor to the active two-chain form and a possible activation of a mitogenic signalling pathway have all been ascribed to the increased uPA activity. The present study aimed to determine whether similar early increases in uPA activity could be detected in the remnant liver following resection of metastatic tumours in surgical patients. RESULTS: Eighteen patients undergoing partial hepatectomy for the removal of hepatic metastases secondary to primary colonic tumours were studied. Increased plasminogen activator activity was found in the final liver samples for the group of patients in whom the resection size was at least 50%. For smaller resections, the increased activity was not observed. The increased activity did not correlate with the age of the patient or with the time between the start of resection and the end of the operation. There was, however, a negative correlation between plasminogen activator activity and the time for which blood supply to the liver was clamped. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings are in accordance with those from experimental animal models and show, for the first time, that rapid increases in plasminogen activator activity can occur following similarly large liver resection in humans. Thus, increases in plasminogen activator activity are an early event in the remnant liver following major liver resection in man. Our observations provide support for the contention that increases in plasminogen activators play a key role in the initiation of hepatic regeneration in man.

The molecular physiology of liver regeneration following partial hepatectomy.

The ability of the liver to regenerate after resection has been known for many years. Two reports from Germany in the late 1800s probably mark the introduction of the phenomenon into the scientific literature, but in the early 1900s the first reviews of this subject had appeared in the English literature. Predating these early scientific reports the legends from the Greek mythology described the fate of Prometheus. As punishment for defying Zeus and revealing the secret of fire to man, Prometheus was chained to a rock and each day had part of his liver ripped out by an eagle which, returning the following day, repeated the torture because his liver regenerated itself overnight. Although the speed of regeneration in the Greek legend is somewhat greater than that observed either clinically or in the laboratory, the myth does serve to emphasise the remarkable ability of the liver to repeatedly regenerate following repeated resections. This review aims to summarise the more recent literature concerning the early molecular events accompanying liver regeneration and to integrate this with the existing knowledge of this subject.