Vascular endothelial growth factor expression along a circadian time span in intact adult mice liver

Abstract

In the present study we analyzed VEGF-A expression in adult male and female C3H/S mice along a circadian time span. The animals were sacrificed at 00:00, 04:00, 08:00, 12:00, 16:00 and 20:00 h. Samples of the liver from each animal were processed for immunohistochemistry. The VEGF expression index was calculated as positives immunostaining hepatocytes x 100 and analyzed by ANOVA, and the Student–Newman–Keuls Multiple Comparison Test. The results show that in both male and female mice there were significant differences between the values corresponding to all the time points studied. In male mice the values of VEGF expression of 20:00 h are significantly higher than all the others analyzed while in females the value of the 20:00 h was significantly different from the value of the 04:00 h. In conclusion, the hepatocytes of the perivenular areas in the liver of intact adult male and female mice expressed VEGF with a defined circadian rhythm.

Keywords:

• circadian rhythm
• VEGF
• mice
• hepatocytes

Acknowledgements

Thanks are due to the technical staff of the Cátedra de Citología, Histología y Embriología “A”.