Project description:To investigate the differences in microRNA expression profiles between fibrotic and normal livers, we performed microRNA microarrays for total RNA extracts isolated from mouse livers treated with carbontetrachloride (CCl4) or corn-oil for 10 weeks (n=3/group). MicroRNAs were considered to have significant differences in expression level when the expression difference showed more than two-fold change between the experimental and control groups at p<0.05. We found that 12 miRNAs were differentially expressed in CCl4-induced fibrotic liver. To induce chronic liver fibrosis, seven-week-old mice received 0.6 ml/kg body weight of carbon-tetrachloride (CCl4) dissolved in corn-oil by intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection, twice a week for 10 weeks (n=3). As a control, same number of mice was injected with equal volume of corn-oil for 10 weeks.
Project description:Gene-expression profiles of liver tissue of cabon tetrachloride (CCl4)-treated and control mice were obtained before and after organotypic ex vivo tissue culture. keywords: liver tissue, mouse, gene-expression microarray, Illumina, ex vivo tissue culture
Project description:The present study examined hypermethylated and downregulated genes specific to carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) by Methyl-Seq analysis combined with expression microarray analysis in the liver of rats treated with CCl4 or N-nitrosodiethylamine (DEN) for 28 days, by excluding those with DEN.
Project description:Purpose : Identification of novel microRNA biomarkers in urine and plasma from rats with kidney or liver damage micoRNA-SEQ was used to analyze changes in miRNA profiles of tissue, plasma and urine samples of rats treated with either a nephrotoxicant (cisplatin) or one of two hepatotoxicants (Acetaminophen [APAP] or Carbon Tetrachloride [CCL4]).
Project description:We developed in vivo reprogramming of myofibroblasts (MFs) into induced hepatocytes (MF-iHeps) using adeno-associated virus serotype 6 (AAV6) vectors expressing hepatic transcription factors in MF fate tracing (Lrat-Cre;R26R-ZsGreen) mice with carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver fibrosis. To determine whether MF-iHeps acquire full hepatocyte differentiation, we used microarrays to profile their global gene expression. We isolated MF-iHeps and primary hepatocytes (Heps) from the same mice by laser-capture microdissection (5 and 3 biological replicates, respectively) and hepatic MFs from CCl4-treated littermates isolated by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (3 biological replicates). Total RNA was extracted, transcribed, amplified and biotin labeled. Labeled cDNA targets were hybridized to GeneChip Mouse Gene 1.0 ST arrays (Affymetrix).
Project description:Gene-expression profiles of liver tissue of cabon tetrachloride (CCl4)-treated mouse and the effect of erlotinib Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth most common solid tumor worldwide and the third leading cause of cancer-related death. Given the lack of successful treatment options, chemoprevention in high-risk patients has been proposed as an alternative strategy. Mounting evidence supports a role for epidermal growth factor (EGF) during chronic liver disease and hepatocellular transformation. We address the hypothesis that blocking the EGF-EGF receptor (EGFR) pathway may be an effective strategy for inhibiting fibrogenesis and hepatocarcinogenesis. A rat model of diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced cirrhosis was used to examine the effects of erlotinib on underlying chronic liver disease and HCC formation. The DEN-induced rat model closely resembles disease progression in humans both pathologically and molecularly. Erlotinib significantly prevented the development of HCC tumor nodules in a dose-dependent fashion. Further, erlotinib inhibited the activation of hepatic stellate cells and prevented fibrogenesis. Erlotinib also reduced hepatotoxicity and improved liver function. Finally, a gene expression signature predictive of poor survival in human cirrhosis patients was reversed in response to erlotinib. Our data demonstrate for the first time that EGFR inhibition prevents liver fibrogenesis. Further, our results suggest that erlotinib is a potentially effective HCC chemoprevention strategy through inhibition of cirrhosis progression which can be monitored at the molecular level. Animals received humane care according to the criteria outlined in the M-bM-^@M-^\Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory AnimalsM-bM-^@M-^] of the National Academy of Sciences. All animals were maintained in accordance with the institutional guidelines of the Massachusetts General Hospital Subcommittee on Research Animal Care. Strain A/J male mice (Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME) were treated three times a week for 18 weeks with either 0.1cc of a 40 percent solution of CCl4 (Sigma) in olive oil or with vehicle control by oral gavage. Mice were sacrificed at 19 weeks after a one-week washout to eliminate acute effects of CCl4. The liver was sectioned and fixed in phosphate-buffered 10% formaldehyde for histological analysis. The remaining portions of the liver were collected in RNase-free tubes and snap-frozen in liquid nitrogen. Frozen tissues were stored at -80M-BM-0C until use.
Project description:We conditionally deleted Yap/Taz from hepatocytes prior to induction of acute injury by injection of liver toxin carbon tetrachloride (CCl4).
Project description:Gene-expression profiles of liver tissue of cabon tetrachloride (CCl4)-treated mouse and the effect of erlotinib Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth most common solid tumor worldwide and the third leading cause of cancer-related death. Given the lack of successful treatment options, chemoprevention in high-risk patients has been proposed as an alternative strategy. Mounting evidence supports a role for epidermal growth factor (EGF) during chronic liver disease and hepatocellular transformation. We address the hypothesis that blocking the EGF-EGF receptor (EGFR) pathway may be an effective strategy for inhibiting fibrogenesis and hepatocarcinogenesis. A rat model of diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced cirrhosis was used to examine the effects of erlotinib on underlying chronic liver disease and HCC formation. The DEN-induced rat model closely resembles disease progression in humans both pathologically and molecularly. Erlotinib significantly prevented the development of HCC tumor nodules in a dose-dependent fashion. Further, erlotinib inhibited the activation of hepatic stellate cells and prevented fibrogenesis. Erlotinib also reduced hepatotoxicity and improved liver function. Finally, a gene expression signature predictive of poor survival in human cirrhosis patients was reversed in response to erlotinib. Our data demonstrate for the first time that EGFR inhibition prevents liver fibrogenesis. Further, our results suggest that erlotinib is a potentially effective HCC chemoprevention strategy through inhibition of cirrhosis progression which can be monitored at the molecular level.