Cholangiocytes proliferation can be modulated by several neuroendocrine factors (1). The peptide cocaine-amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART) has various physiological functions and is widely expressed in many organs (2). CART increases the survival of hippocampal neurons by up-regulating Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) (3). Recent study has detected the expression of BDNF and of its two receptors (TrKB and p75NT) in cholangiocytes of rat liver and their involvement in proliferation rate of biliary tree (4). Aim of this study is to investigate the expression of CART in the rat biliary epithelium. Male Wistar rats were divided into normal (n=6) and BDL (n=6) group. All rats were sacrificed after 1 week. Liver samples from both BDL and normal group were collected to perform light microscopy and immunohistochemistry for CART, CK19 (cytokeratin-19) and PCNA (proliferating cell nuclear antigen). Our results show an increased expression of CART together with the growth of intrahepatic bile ductal mass (IBDM) and of cholangiocytes proliferation in BDL. CART may be implicated in the remodeling of biliary epithelium during cholestasis through key mediators of cell survival and proliferation, as well as through BDNF activated pathways.
IMMUNOLOCALIZATION OF COCAINE-AMPHETAMINE REGULATED TRANSCRIPT (CART) IN BILIARY EPITHELIUM
FRANCHITTO, Antonio;
2015-01-01
Abstract
Cholangiocytes proliferation can be modulated by several neuroendocrine factors (1). The peptide cocaine-amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART) has various physiological functions and is widely expressed in many organs (2). CART increases the survival of hippocampal neurons by up-regulating Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) (3). Recent study has detected the expression of BDNF and of its two receptors (TrKB and p75NT) in cholangiocytes of rat liver and their involvement in proliferation rate of biliary tree (4). Aim of this study is to investigate the expression of CART in the rat biliary epithelium. Male Wistar rats were divided into normal (n=6) and BDL (n=6) group. All rats were sacrificed after 1 week. Liver samples from both BDL and normal group were collected to perform light microscopy and immunohistochemistry for CART, CK19 (cytokeratin-19) and PCNA (proliferating cell nuclear antigen). Our results show an increased expression of CART together with the growth of intrahepatic bile ductal mass (IBDM) and of cholangiocytes proliferation in BDL. CART may be implicated in the remodeling of biliary epithelium during cholestasis through key mediators of cell survival and proliferation, as well as through BDNF activated pathways.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
