Ubiquitin in combination with alcohol stimulates proliferative activity of hepatocytes

There are several factors involved in aetiology of Alcoholic Liver Disease. The one of the most important role in regulation of intracellular transformations belongs to ubiquitin proteasome system that is comparably well studied, but less is known about the functions of extracellular ubiquitin. The goal of presented work is to study the effect of extracellular ubiquitin on partially hepatectomized alcoholic liver regeneration. Experiments were carried out on white female rats. Proliferative activity of hepatocytes was determined by colchicine mitotic index and immunohistochemical staining on Ki67. We have shown that in vivo injected extracellular ubiquitin stimulates proliferative activity of hepatocytes in partially hepatectomized alcoholic liver whereas in non-alcoholic rats hepatocytes proliferative activity was decreased. The main attraction of the experiment is the combination of alcohol and ubiquitin, as without alcohol ubiquitin inhibits proliferative activity of hepatocytes and blood cells. Further investigation of its action will provide new insights into possible pathway of ubiquitilation involved in stimulation of proliferative activity in alcoholic liver.