Biopolym. Cell. 2006; 22(4):276-282.
Structure and Function of Biopolymers
Interferon α expression in the rat liver after partial hepatectomy
1Perepelyuk M. M., 2Fedorchenko D. B., 2Rybalko S. L., 1Obolenskaya M. Yu.
  1. Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, NAS of Ukraine
    150, Akademika Zabolotnoho Str., Kyiv, Ukraine, 03680
  2. Gromashevsky L.V. Institute of Epidemiology and Infection Diseases, AMS of Ukraine
    5, Amosova Str., Kyiv, Ukraine, 03038
The current work presents the investigation on IFN-α/β expression in rat liver after partial hepatectomy (PHE) and laparotomy (LAP). These operations were used to model the regeneration process and the acute phase response as a component of regeneration process. The relative content of IFN-α in total liver cytosol and IFN-α- and IFN-β-specific RNAs in total liver RNA were assessed by the biological test and by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, respectively. IFN-α-specific RNA and IFN-α protein were shown to be expressed in the intact and regenerating liver. IFN-β-specific RNA is not detected. IFN-α delivery to the liver via blood from other INFα - producing cells is highly unlikely due to its negligible concentration in the blood serum. PHE induces the increase of IFN-α-specific RNA and protein content during G0/G1 transition of the liver from quiescence to proliferation (1-3 hours after PHE) with the further decrease in their content towards the G1/S transition of hepatocytes (12 hours after PHE). Quantitatively the up-regulation of IFN-α expression was less than maximally possible, which was observed after injection of typical inducer of IFN-a synthesis, poly(I)-poly(C). LAP completely blocked IFN-α expression which was manifested at RNA and protein level in 1, 3, 6, and 12 hours after the operation. Thus, the increase in IFN-α expression at the early phase of regeneration is essential for liver transition from quiescence to proliferation and IFN-α expression is incompatible with the acute phase response. A role of IFN-α in both processes is yet to be defined. The decrease in IFN-α expression till the G1/S transition of hepatocytes in 12 hours is consistent with a widely known concept about antiproliferative activity of IFN-α.
Keywords: IFN-α, liver regeneration