MORT1/FADD is involved in liver regeneration

Math 1 Math(A1).

Figure 1 Retarded liver regeneration in dnFADD mice. A: Onset of DNA synthesis was delayed in transgenic animals; after 36 h of PH, the amount of BrdU-positive cells was significantly smaller compared to wild-type animals, while the numbers did not differ significantly later on; B: Showing a markedly higher number of mitosis per high power field in wild-type animals after 48 h (^aP<0.05); C: Cyclin A protein expression was not detectable in transgenic animals whereas, detectable in wild-type animals at 36 h after hepatectomy. D: Onset of liver mass restoration was retarded in transgenic animals (^aP<0.05) but surviving mice reached around 90% of the pre-operative volume as did wild-type animals. The average immediate postoperative liver volumes in the wild-type and transgenic group were 49% and 48% of the preoperative liver volume, respectively. E: MRI scans were used to determine liver mass during regeneration.

Figure 2 Expression of IL-6 in transgenic hepatocytes. A: Serum IL-6 levels peaked around 24 h after partial hepatectomy. There was no difference between wild-type and transgenic animals; B: After 36 h of PH, transgenic animals showed significant higher IL-6 mRNA expression in whole liver lysate as compared to wild-type animals, measured by Light Cycler analysis.

Figure 3 Differences in postoperative mortality. Within the first 24 h after PH, transgenic mice expressing the dominant negative FADD mutant showed a significant higher postoperative mortality (P<0.01). Within the first 24 h, 13 out of 81 transgenic mice died whereas only 2 out of 72 wild-type mice died. At later time points, no difference in postoperative mortality was detected.

Figure 4 Liver enzymes test. Serum AST (left panel) and ALT (right) levels in wild-type and transgenic mice were not significantly different at 36 or 48 h after PH.