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Updated: Aug 24, 2026
Cell Type-specific Gene Expression Profiling in the Mouse Liver
Published on: September 17, 2019
Increased expression of H19 non-coding mRNA follows hepatocyte proliferation in the rat and mouse
Youhei Yamamoto1, Yuji Nishikawa, Takuo Tokairin
1Department of Pathology, Akita University School of Medicine, 1-1-1 Hondo, Akita 010-8543, Japan.
Background/Aims:
H19 is a paternally imprinted gene that is believed to function as non-coding mRNA. While H19 is only faintly expressed in the normal adult liver, it is abundantly expressed during the fetal period. We explored the possibility that H19 might participate in the regulation of hepatocyte proliferation.
Methods:
Adult male rats and mice were subjected to a two-thirds partial hepatectomy, and after various time periods, hepatocytes were isolated and analyzed for H19 gene expression. The expression was also examined in cultured rat hepatocytes.
Results:
The expression of H19 was dramatically increased after 2 days (rat) and 4 days (mouse), peaked at 3 days (rat) and 6 days (mouse), and then gradually declined. In both species, the increase in H19 gene expression was preceded by the induction of proliferating cell nuclear antigen and DNA synthesis. An allele-specific RT-PCR analysis in the mouse showed that the paternally imprinted status of the gene was maintained after a partial hepatectomy. H19 was strongly induced in spheroid cultures after transient hepatocyte proliferation, but not in conventional monolayer cultures, in which persistent proliferation occurred.
Conclusions:
Our results demonstrated that H19 gene expression was dynamically regulated in adult hepatocytes in close association with their proliferation.
Insights
H19 gene expression increases significantly in adult liver cells following partial hepatectomy, closely correlating with hepatocyte proliferation. This suggests H19 plays a role in liver regeneration.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
- Hepatology
Background:
- H19 is a paternally imprinted, non-coding mRNA gene.
- Normally expressed at low levels in adult liver, H19 is abundant during fetal development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of H19 in regulating hepatocyte proliferation.
- To explore H19 gene expression dynamics during liver regeneration.
Main Methods:
- Partial hepatectomy performed on adult male rats and mice.
- Hepatocyte isolation and analysis of H19 gene expression.
- H19 expression examined in cultured rat hepatocytes.
Main Results:
- H19 expression dramatically increased post-hepatectomy, preceding proliferating cell nuclear antigen induction and DNA synthesis.
- Paternally imprinted status of H19 was maintained after partial hepatectomy.
- H19 strongly induced in spheroid cultures with transient proliferation, but not in monolayer cultures with persistent proliferation.
Conclusions:
- H19 gene expression is dynamically regulated in adult hepatocytes.
- H19 expression is closely associated with hepatocyte proliferation and liver regeneration.
