Human Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Promote Liver Regeneration

ABSTRACT

Background and Aims: Liver regeneration (LR) is of crucial importance to patients with acute liver failure, those undergoing live donor liver transplantations or extended liver resections. Effective treatment strategies aimed at accelerating liver regeneration could offer major benefits in these patients. Due to easy accessibility, human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (HADMSC) are an attractive source for regenerative medicine. Herein, we investigated the effect of HADMSC on LR in a murine model. We hypothesized that HADMSC will promote LR. Methods: Mice were subjected to CCl₄-induced acute liver failure (ALF). Animals in the experimental arm were treated with HADMSC prior to CCl₄-induced ALF. Liver injury was evaluated using serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), serum interleukin-6 (IL-6), and histopathology. Liver samples were stained for a specific marker of regeneration, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). Results: Histology, serum IL-6, and ALT release revealed that HADMSC treatment attenuated liver injury compared with control animals. In addition, animals treated with HADMSC were observed to have improved survival and increased number of PCNA positive cells on histology when compared with controls. Conclusion: HADMSCs represent a potential therapeutic strategy to promote liver regeneration.

Keywords: :

• stem cells
• mesenchymal stem cells
• liver regeneration
• acute liver failure
• liver transplantation
• liver surgery