Tumor necrosis factor induces DNA replication in hepatic cells through nuclear factor kappaB activation

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) signaling through TNF receptor 1 (TNFR1) with downstream participation of nuclear factor kappaB (NFkappaB), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and signal transducers and activators of transcription 3 (STAT3) is required for initiation of liver regeneration. It is not known whether the proliferative effect of TNF on hepatocytes is direct or requires the participation of Kupffer cells, the liver resident macrophages. Moreover, it has not been determined whether NFkappaB activation is an essential step in TNF-induced proliferation. To answer these questions, we conducted studies in LE6 cells, a rat liver epithelial cell line with hepatocyte progenitor capacity. We report that TNF induces DNA replication in growth-arrested LE6 cells and that its effect involves the activation of NFkappaB and STAT3 and an increase in c-myc and IL-6 mRNAs. All of these effects, which mimic the events that initiate liver regeneration in vivo, are blocked if NFKB activation is inhibited by expression of a dominant-inhibitor IkappaBalpha mutant (deltaN-IkappaBalpha). Although NFkappaB blockage by deltaN-IkappaBalpha causes caspase activation and massive death of cells stimulated by TNF, inhibition of NFkappaB and STAT3 binding by the serine protease inhibitor N-tosyl-L-phenylalanine chloromethyl ketone results in G0-G1 cell cycle arrest without death. We conclude that NFkappaB is an essential component of the TNF proliferative pathway and that TNF-induced changes in IL-6 mRNA, STAT3, and c-myc mRNA are dependent on NFkappaB activation. Blockage of NFkappaB inhibits TNF-induced proliferation but does not necessarily cause cell death.