Estradiol accelerates liver regeneration through estrogen receptor α

• Published in: Clinical and experimental gastroenterology Vol. 12; pp. 331 - 336
• Main Authors: Tsugawa, Yoji, Natori, Michiya, Handa, Hiroshi, Imai, Takeshi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New Zealand Taylor & Francis Ltd 01.01.2019; Dove; Dove Medical Press
• Subjects: Adipocytes; Bile; Cell growth; Cytokines; Endoplasmic reticulum; estrogen receptor α (ERα); Estrogens; Gastroenterology; Geriatrics; Gerontology; Laboratories; Liver; liver regeneration; Medical research; Metabolism; Original Research; Oxidation; partial hepatectomy; Rodents; Variance analysis; United States > US; Japan; partial hepatectomy; estrogens; estrogen receptor α; ERα; liver regeneration
• ISSN: 1178-7023; 1178-7023
• DOI: 10.2147/CEG.S214196

We previously demonstrated that liver resection triggers estradiol production, which, in turn, induces the proliferation of hepatocytes to promote liver regeneration in mice. In this study, we demonstrated estradiol-induced estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) expression. To further explore the role of ERα in estradiol-mediated liver regeneration, in the present study, we confirmed impaired liver regeneration ability in ERα knockout mice. Further analysis during liver regeneration revealed a role for ERα in hepatic steatosis, tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin 6 expression, and nuclear factor-κB and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 DNA-binding activities. Moreover, estradiol administration accelerated liver regeneration through ERα, indicating the feasibility of the estrogen-ERα axis as a target for accelerating the rate of liver regeneration.