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J E Mead

Publications and source records attributed to J E Mead.

14 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1991

Effects of TGF-beta s in the liver: cell proliferation and fibrogenesis.

TGF-beta 1 is a potent inhibitor of hepatocyte proliferation in vivo and in culture and an inducer of fibrogenesis. It is produced by non-parenchymal cells in normal, regenerating, neoplastic and pre-neoplastic liver. TGF-beta 2 and beta 3 are also found in liver non-parenchymal cells and the amounts of their mRNAs increase during liver regeneration. TGF-beta 2 has similar effects to TGF-beta 1. Membranes from normal adult rat liver bind TGF-beta 1 with kinetics consistent with the presence of a single high affinity binding site; membranes from livers that have been regenerating for 12-72 hours show high affinity binding sites not detected in livers of normal or sham-operated rats. Affinity labelling of membranes from normal and regenerating liver shows two receptor proteins with Mr 85,000 and 65,000. In contrast, a prominent band corresponding to a binding protein of Mr 280,000 is detected in membrane preparations of cultured liver epithelial cells. Although modulation of TGF-beta 1 receptors occurs during liver regeneration, it has not been possible to determine which receptor is responsible for the TGF-beta 1 effects in hepatocytes. Other studies have demonstrated a significant correlation between TGF-beta 1 mRNA expression and various indicators of fibrogenesis in patients with chronic liver disease. Thus in animals and humans TGF-beta 1 appears to play a major role in the pathogenesis of fibrosis in chronic liver disease.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) isoforms in rat liver regeneration: messenger RNA expression and activation of latent TGF-beta.

Expression of transforming growth factor-beta s (TGF-beta s) 1-3 was studied in normal liver and during liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy in the rat to determine whether each of these isoforms might be involved in hepatocyte growth in vivo. Expression of the mRNAs for all three TGF-beta isoforms increases in the regenerating liver. In addition, the levels of expression of the mRNAs for several extracellular matrix proteins, including fibronectin, vitronectin, laminin, and collagen, also increase in the regenerating liver. Immunohistochemical staining analysis shows a similar distribution of all three TGF-beta s in normal and regenerating liver; however, in both tissues, the level of expression of TGF-beta 1 is 8- to 10-fold higher than that of TGF-beta 2 as determined by sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Expression of all three TGF-beta mRNAs is restricted to liver nonparenchymal cells. Although hepatocytes from normal and regenerating livers do not synthesize TGF-beta, they are sensitive to inhibition of growth by all three TGF-beta isoforms. Hepatocytes from regenerating livers are capable of activating latent TGF-beta 1 complexes in vitro, whereas normal hepatocytes are not. The different TGF-beta isoforms may function in an inhibitory paracrine mechanism that is activated during liver regeneration and may also regulate the synthesis of extracellular matrix components in the regenerating liver.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Fetal growth factors as determinants of intrauterine hepatic growth.

To understand mechanisms at the cellular level that may lead to the selective organomegaly seen in fetuses of diabetic mothers, we examined the role of insulin and autocrine-paracrine growth factors in the regulation of hepatic growth in the fetal rat. Analyses of fetal liver from the last one-third of gestation demonstrated the presence of specific mRNAs for the transforming growth factors (TGFs) TGF-alpha and TGF-beta. TGF-alpha, a homologue of epidermal growth factor (EGF), acts through EGF receptors. Levels of mRNA for TGF-alpha increased dramatically postnatally, whereas EGF receptor number increased just before term. In contrast, levels of mRNA for TGF-beta, an inhibitor of epithelial cell growth, were greater in fetal liver than in adult liver, as was TGF-beta-receptor binding. Other analyses demonstrated increases in tyrosine kinase activities of the insulin receptor, EGF receptor, and insulinlike growth factor I receptor as term approached. Proliferation of fetal rat hepatocytes in primary culture did not require mitogens or serum, consistent with production and activity of autocrine-paracrine growth factors. TGF-beta was a potent inhibitor of fetal hepatocyte proliferation in culture, whereas insulin potentiated fetal hepatocyte growth above "mitogen-independent" levels. The regulatory mechanisms controlling fetal hepatic growth involve a complex interaction between stimulatory and inhibitory factors. Growth factor expression, receptor expression, receptor tyrosine kinase activity, and postreceptor signal transmission represent potential loci for insulin action that might be involved in the pathogenesis of fetal macrosomia seen in diabetic pregnancies.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Induction of replicative competence ("priming") in normal liver.

We have used a system of nutritional manipulation to investigate whether hepatocytes of the normal liver can be primed for replication in vivo. In this system, rats that are denied protein for 3 days undergo a burst of hepatic DNA synthesis and mitosis when they are refed amino acids, while normally fed or starved rats do not respond. To determine if hepatocytes of protein deprived (PD) rats have been "primed" for replication, we examined changes in protooncogene expression in livers of PD rats to see if they would mimic the pattern of gene expression that is induced early after partial hepatectomy. c-jun, c-myc, and p53 mRNAs were elevated in livers of PD rats, while c-fos and c-ras genes were not expressed. The administration of amino acids to PD rats stimulated hepatic DNA synthesis in a shorter period than is required after partial hepatectomy and induced p53 and c-ras expression. In culture, hepatocytes from PD rats had higher levels of c-myc mRNA, underwent morphological changes more rapidly, and reached maximum rates of DNA synthesis earlier than normal hepatocytes. In both normal and primed hepatocyte cultures, transforming growth factor alpha stimulated DNA synthesis more effectively than epidermal growth factor. We conclude that hepatocytes pass through a priming stage before they proliferate and that replicative competence without DNA synthesis can be induced in hepatocytes in the normal liver.

Amino Acids↗
PubMed1990

Transforming growth factor receptors in liver regeneration following partial hepatectomy in the rat.

Transforming growth factors alpha and beta (TGF-alpha and TGF-beta) are produced in the liver and appear to play an important role in the regulation of hepatic growth. We investigated changes in receptors for these polypeptide growth factors in regenerating liver after partial hepatectomy in the rat with comparisons to livers from normal and sham-operated animals. In normal rats, binding of 125I-epidermal growth factor (EGF) to liver membranes was fully and competitively displaced by TGF-alpha, indicating that these two growth factors share similar sites on the same hepatic receptor. Scatchard analyses revealed that EGF receptors bound EGF with 4- to 8-fold higher affinity than TGF-alpha. Following partial hepatectomy or sham operation, EGF/TGF-alpha receptor number decreased by 25, 40, and 55% at 12, 24, and 72 h, respectively. In all cases. Scatchard analysis obtained with EGF yielded a linear plot indicating a single population of binding sites with a dissociation constant (Kd) of approximately 0.9 nM. Scatchard analysis of TGF-beta binding showed that liver membranes from sham-operated and normal rats express binding sites with a Kd of approximately 35 pM. In contrast, membranes obtained from 12-, 24-, and 72-h regenerating livers were altered in a manner consistent with uncovering or appearance of a higher affinity site. Affinity labeling of liver plasma membranes with 125I-TGF-beta revealed two predominant proteins with Mr 85,000 and 66,000. In unfractionated membrane preparations, two other proteins with Mr 105,000 and approximately 150,000 were seen. Following partial hepatectomy the major change in affinity-labeled proteins was a small (10-25%) but consistent decrease in the Mr 85,000 species. These results show that receptors for TGF-alpha and TGF-beta are modulated after partial hepatectomy, a further indication that these polypeptides may have an important role in liver regeneration.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Transforming growth factor alpha may be a physiological regulator of liver regeneration by means of an autocrine mechanism.

We investigated whether transforming growth factor alpha (TGF-alpha) is involved in hepatocyte growth responses both in vivo and in culture. During liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy in rats, TGF-alpha mRNA increased; it reached a maximum (approximately 9-fold higher than normal) at the peak of DNA synthesis. The message and the peptide were localized in hepatocytes and found in higher amounts in hepatocytes obtained from regenerating liver. TGF-alpha caused a 13-fold elevation of DNA synthesis in hepatocytes in primary culture and was slightly more effective than epidermal growth factor. TGF-beta blocked TGF-alpha stimulation when added either simultaneously with TGF-alpha or a day later. TGF-alpha message increased in hepatocytes stimulated to undergo DNA synthesis by TGF-alpha or epidermal growth factor, and the peptide was detected in the culture medium by RIA. In the regenerating liver, the increase in TGF-alpha mRNA during the first day after partial hepatectomy coincided with an increase in epidermal growth factor/TGF-alpha receptor mRNA and a decrease (already reported) in the number of these receptors. We conclude that TGF-alpha may function as a physiological inducer of hepatocyte DNA synthesis during liver regeneration by means of an autocrine mechanism and that its stimulatory effects in this growth process are balanced by the inhibitory action of TGF-beta 1.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Transforming growth factor beta mRNA increases during liver regeneration: a possible paracrine mechanism of growth regulation.

Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) is a growth factor with multiple biological properties including stimulation and inhibition of cell proliferation. To determine whether TGF-beta is involved in hepatocyte growth responses in vivo, we measured the levels of TGF-beta mRNA in normal liver and during liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy in rats. TGF-beta mRNA increases in the regenerating liver and reaches a peak (about 8 times higher than basal levels) after the major wave of hepatocyte cell division and mitosis have taken place and after the peak expression of the ras protooncogenes. Although hepatocytes from normal and regenerating liver respond to TGF-beta, they do not synthesize TGF-beta mRNA. Instead, the message is present in liver nonparenchymal cells and is particularly abundant in cell fractions enriched for endothelial cells. TGF-beta inhibits epidermal growth factor-induced DNA synthesis in vitro in hepatocytes from normal or regenerating liver, although the dose-response curves vary according to the culture medium used. We conclude that TGF-beta may function as the effector of an inhibitory paracrine loop that is activated during liver regeneration, perhaps to prevent uncontrolled hepatocyte proliferation.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

The 32P-post-labeling method in quantitative DNA adduct dosimetry of 2-acetylaminofluorene-induced mutagenicity in Chinese hamster ovary cells and Salmonella typhimurium TA1538.

The usefulness of the 32P-post-labeling/t.l.c. method for quantitative DNA adduct dosimetry was evaluated. 2-Acetylaminofluorene (2-AAF)-DNA adducts from three systems were characterized qualitatively and quantitatively by the 3H-radiolabeled technique with subsequent analysis by h.p.l.c. (pre-labeling method) and by the 32P-post-labeling method. Both methods showed N-acetoxyacetylaminofluorene (N-OAc-AAF) reaction products with calf thymus DNA were predominantly N-(deoxyguanosin-8-yl)-2-acetylaminofluorene (dG-C8-AAF) with some N-(deoxyguanosin-8-yl)-2-aminofluorene (dG-C8-AF) and N-(deoxyguanosin-N2-yl)-2-acetylaminofluorene (dG-N2-AAF). In contrast, Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells treated with [3H]N-OAc-AAF gave 80 or 90% dG-C8-AF adducts and 20 or 10% dG-C8-AAF adducts with the post- or pre-labeling method, respectively. Likewise in CHO cells treated with 2-AAF in the presence of rat liver homogenate, approximately 90% dG-C8-AF and 10% dG-C8-AAF adducts were detected using the 32P-post-labeling method. In Salmonella typhimurium strain TA1538 treated with 2-AAF or [3H]2-AAF in the presence of a rat liver homogenate, one adduct, dG-C8-AF, was identified. Similar quantitative results were also obtained with the two methods. However, the 32P-post-labeling method was more sensitive and also eliminated the use of radiolabeled-mutagen treatments. Quantitative DNA adduct dosimetry was applied to AAF-induced mutagenesis in the S. typhimurium and CHO/HPRT mutation assays. A linear and reproducible relationship existed between dG-C8-AF levels and AAF-induced mutants in both systems.

2-Acetylaminofluorene↗
PubMed1986

Proto-oncogene expression and growth factors during liver regeneration.

When growth is stimulated in normally quiescent hepatocytes, steady-state levels of c-fos, c-myc, and p53 mRNAs increase sequentially and transiently before DNA replication. C-fos mRNA increases almost immediately after partial hepatectomy and decreases by 2 hr; c-myc mRNA reaches maximal levels between 30 min and 2 hr. In contrast, the p53 mRNA increase corresponds to the G1/S transition, and mRNAs from c-ras genes are elevated later, coinciding with DNA replication and mitosis. p53 and p21 proteins are elevated when their mRNAs are more abundant. This regulated response suggests that these genes either control key steps in the cell cycle or are responding to humoral or internal growth factors acting at specified growth stages. We propose that hepatocytes go through a "priming" stage during the first four hours after partial hepatectomy and that their progression through late G1, is likely to be controlled by autocrine or paracrine mechanisms, which may account for the precisely regulated growth of the liver after partial hepatectomy. Transforming growth factor beta (TGF beta) is a potent inhibitor of DNA synthesis in normal hepatocytes in vitro. We show that TGF beta mRNA increases in the regenerating liver at the time of hepatocyte DNA synthesis and mitosis. In normal or regenerating liver, the mRNA for this growth factor is contained in nonparenchymal cells but not in hepatocytes. We suggest that TGF beta may be a component of a paracrine regulatory loop that controls hepatocyte replication.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Sequential protooncogene expression during rat liver regeneration.

When growth is stimulated in the normally quiescent adult rat liver by partial hepatectomy, steady state levels of messenger RNAs (mRNAs) for c-fos, c-myc, and p53 increase sequentially during the prereplicative phase which precedes DNA synthesis. Levels of c-fos mRNA are elevated at least 4-fold within 15 min after partial hepatectomy and decrease rapidly by 2 h; c-myc mRNA reaches maximal levels (5-fold over normal) between 30 min and 2 h after the operation. A second, transient phase of expression for both c-fos and c-myc occurs around 8 h after partial hepatectomy. p53 mRNA levels increase between 8 and 12 h after the operation (5-fold over normal) and are reflected in an elevation of steady state levels of p53 protein between 12 and 15 h after partial hepatectomy. The levels of ras p21 protein increase much later at a time of active DNA replication and cell division. Actinomycin D injected at the time of partial hepatectomy blocks the increase in c-myc at 2 h but has no effect on c-fos mRNA levels. Actinomycin D injected at 6 h only partially blocks the increase in c-myc and p53 mRNA at 8 h but does not affect c-fos mRNA. Our results suggest that the transient and sequential expression of protooncogenes during the prereplicative stage of liver regeneration is likely to reflect events associated with entry and progression of hepatocytes into the cell cycle and can serve as markers for identifying specific humoral factors involved in liver regeneration.

Albumins↗