Japanese Society of Hepato‐Biliary‐Pancreatic Surgery|Wiley
Abstract
Background
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease. Poor regeneration after hepatectomy in NAFLD is well recognized, but the mechanism is unclear. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress plays an important role in the development of NAFLD. Here, we show that an impaired ER stress response contributes to poor liver regeneration in partially hepatectomized mice.
Methods
Non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) or non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) was induced in mice using our patented feed and 70% partial hepatectomy (PH) was performed. Mice were sacrificed 0, 4, 8, 24, or 48 hours, or 7 days after PH, and liver regeneration and the mRNA expression of ER stress markers were assessed.
Results
NAFLD activity score was calculated as 4–6 points for NAFL and 7 points for NASH. NASH was characterized by inflammation and high ER stress marker expression before PH. After PH, NASH mice showed poorer liver regeneration than controls. High expression of proinflammatory cytokine genes was present in NASH mice 4 hours after PH. Xbp1-s mRNA expression was high in control and NAFL mice after PH, but no higher in NASH mice.
Conclusions
Dysfunction of the ER stress response might be a cause of poor liver regeneration in NASH
