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World J Gastroenterol. Aug 14, 2014; 20(30): 10553-10563
Published online Aug 14, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i30.10553
Published online Aug 14, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i30.10553
Human liver stem/progenitor cells decrease serum bilirubin in hyperbilirubinemic Gunn rat
Cédric Maerckx, Tatiana Tondreau, Silvia Berardis, Mustapha Najimi, Etienne Sokal, Laboratory of Pediatric Hepatology and Cell Therapy, Université Catholique de Louvain - Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique (IRCE), 1200 Brussels, Belgium
Jos van Pelt, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Hepatologie, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
Author contributions: Maerckx C performed the majority of experiments and wrote the manuscript; van Pelt J contributed reagents/analytic tools and analyzed the data; Tondreau T and Najimi M designed the study; Tondreau T, Najimi M and Sokal E coordinated the study and were also involved in editing the manuscript; Berardis S performed some experiments and revised the manuscript.
Supported by Fonds pour la formation à la recherche dans l’industrie et dans l’agriculture
Correspondence to: Etienne Sokal, MD, Professor of Medicine, Laboratory of Pediatric Hepatology and Cell Therapy, Université Catholique de Louvain - Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique (IRCE), 52, Avenue Mounier - Tour Vésale +3, 1200 Brussels, Belgium. etienne.sokal@uclouvain.be
Telephone: +32-2-7641387 Fax: +32-2-7648909
Received: December 13, 2013
Revised: February 8, 2014
Accepted: March 8, 2014
Published online: August 14, 2014
Revised: February 8, 2014
Accepted: March 8, 2014
Published online: August 14, 2014
Core Tip
Core tip: In this study we demonstrated the ability of adult-derived human liver stem/progenitor cells (ADHLSC) to specifically conjugate bilirubin after intraportal injection into Gunn rats a model presenting a deficient bilirubin conjugation function (homologous to human Crigler-Najjar type I syndrome). Infused-Gunn rats exhibited a metabolic effect 3 mo post-transplantation and maintained over a 6 mo period. ADHLSC engraftment into Gunn rat’s liver was demonstrated by immunohistochemistry and RTqPCR. These results suggest the potential of ADHLSC to restore a deficient metabolic function in situ.