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Liver regeneration following partial hepatectomy is improved by enhancing the HGF/Met axis and Akt and Erk pathways after low-power laser irradiation in rats

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Abstract

A simple, easy, and safe procedure aiming to improve liver regeneration could be of great clinical benefit in critical situations such as major hepatectomy, trauma, or hemorrhage. Low-power laser irradiation (LPLI) has come into a wide range of use in clinical practice by inducing regeneration in healthy and injured tissues. However, the effect of LPLI on the process of liver regeneration, especially those related to the molecular mechanisms, is not fully understood. Thus, the aim of the present study was to investigate the main molecular mechanisms involved in liver regeneration of partially hepatectomized rats exposed to LPLI. We used Wistar male rats, which had their remaining liver irradiated or not with LPLI (wavelength of 632.8 nm and fluence of 65 mW/cm2) for 15 min after a 70 % hepatectomy. We subsequently investigated hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), Met, Akt, and Erk 1/2 signaling pathways through protein expression and phosphorylation analyses along with cell proliferation (proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and Ki-67) using immunoblotting and histological studies. Our results show that LPLI can improve liver regeneration as shown by increased HGF protein expression and the phosphorylation levels of Met, Akt, and Erk 1/2 accompanied by higher levels of the PCNA and Ki-67 protein in the remnant livers. In summary, our results suggest that LPLI may play a clinical role as a simple, fast, and easy-to-perform strategy in order to enhance the liver regenerative capacity of a small liver remnant after hepatectomy.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by grants from Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo and Conselho Nacional de Pesquisa. The authors thank L. Janeri, J. Pinheiro, and P. Latuf-Filho (Department of Internal Medicine, UNICAMP, Campinas, São Paulo) for technical assistance.

Conflict of interest

No potential conflicts of interest relevant to this article were reported.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Internal Medicine, State University of Campinas, 13081-970, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil

    Tiago G. Araújo, Alexandre G. de Oliveira, Natália Tobar & Mario J. Abdalla Saad

  2. Department of Pathology, State University of Campinas, 13081-970, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil

    Luciana R. Moreira

  3. Laser Laboratory of the Medicine and Surgery Experimental Center, State University of Campinas, 13081-970, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil

    Edmyr R. Reis & Ester M. D. Nicola

  4. Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medical Sciences, State University of Campinas, Cidade Universitária Zeferino Vaz, 13081-970, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil

    Gracinda L. de Jorge, Rodolfo R. dos Tártaro, Ilka F. S. F. Boin & Antonio R. Franchi Teixeira

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  1. Tiago G. Araújo
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  2. Alexandre G. de Oliveira
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  3. Natália Tobar
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Correspondence to Antonio R. Franchi Teixeira.

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Araújo, T.G., de Oliveira, A.G., Tobar, N. et al. Liver regeneration following partial hepatectomy is improved by enhancing the HGF/Met axis and Akt and Erk pathways after low-power laser irradiation in rats. Lasers Med Sci 28, 1511–1517 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10103-013-1264-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10103-013-1264-y

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