Abstract
PurposeTo investigate the effects of pine needle extract (PNE) on the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and Ki-67 during liver regeneration induced by 70% partial hepatectomy (PH) in rat.MethodsForty-eight male rats (SD, 7 weeks) had surgery (70% PH). They were randomly divided into two groups. PH + PNE group was only provided PNE diluted in water (10%) for drinking and PH group was provided water from 5 days before surgery to the time of sacrifice. PNE was made by pressing and filtering. Animals were sacrificed at 12h, 24h, 36h, 60h, 84h, 168h after PH, respectively. The expressions of PCNA and Ki-67 were determined as proliferation indices.ResultsImmunohistochemistry turned out to increase the expression of PCNA and Ki-67. PCNA expression of PH+PNE group increased up to twice of that of PH group. Western blot also seemed to increase the PCNA expression. These results indicated the promotion of cell proliferation in liver tissue and hepatic regeneration.ConclusionsPine needle extract stimulates the expression of some mitotic proteins during liver regeneration induced by 70% PH in rats. It suggests that administration of pine needle extract could accelerate the liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy.
Highlights
The liver plays a crucial role in metabolism that involves blood glucose regulation, protein synthesis, bile production, detoxification, and urea production
We investigated the proliferating effects of the pine needle extract (PNE) on liver regeneration induced by 70% partial hepatectomy (PH) in rats
We focused on the proliferation of hepatic cells and expressions of some protein involving proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and Ki-67
Summary
The liver plays a crucial role in metabolism that involves blood glucose regulation, protein synthesis, bile production, detoxification, and urea production. It maintains metabolic homeostasis and harmony in the body, and acts in cooperation with many organs. The liver has the unique ability to regenerate after injury, and the term ‘liver regeneration’ is generally used in scholarly articles. It has been more precisely termed ‘compensatory hyperplasia’ of liver tissue[1,2,3]. This phenomenon involves rapid growth of the liver tissue after injury induced tissue loss or damage
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