Liver Cancer
Copyright ©2008 The WJG Press and Baishideng. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. May 21, 2008; 14(19): 3015-3020
Published online May 21, 2008. doi: 10.3748/wjg.14.3015
Transplanted bone marrow stromal cells are not cellular origin of hepatocellular carcinomas in a mouse model of carcinogenesis
Jin-Fang Zheng, Li-Jian Liang
Jin-Fang Zheng, Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, the People’s Hospital of Hainan Province, Haikou 570311, Hainan Province, China
Li-Jian Liang, Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, Guangdong Province, China
Author contributions: Zheng JF and Liang LJ contributed equally to this work; Zheng JF and Liang LJ designed the research; Zheng JF performed the research; Liang LJ provided new reagents/analytic tools; Liang LJ analyzed data; and Zheng JF wrote the paper.
Correspondence to: Dr. Jin-Fang Zheng, Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, the People’s Hospital of Hainan Province, 19# Xiuhua Road, Haikou 570311, Hainan Province, China. zhengjf2000@hotmail.com
Telephone: +86-898-68642216
Fax: +86-898-68661664
Received: January 9, 2008
Revised: April 7, 2008
Published online: May 21, 2008
Abstract

AIM: To investigate the malignant potential of hepatic stem cells derived from the bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) in a mouse model of chemical hepatocarcino-genesis.

METHODS: BMSCs from male BALB/c mice were harvested and cultured, then transplanted into female syngenic BALB/c mice via portal vein. Hepato-carcinogenesis was induced by 6 mo of treatment with diethylnitrosamine (DEN). Six months later, the liver was removed from each treated mouse and evaluated by immunohistochemistry and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH).

RESULTS: Twenty-six percent of recipient mice survived and developed multiple hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs). Immunohistochemically, HCC expressed placental form of glutathione-S-transferase (GST-P) and α-fetoprotein, but did not express cytokeratin 19. Y chromosome positive hepatocytes were detected by fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) in the liver of mice treated with DEN after BMSCs transplantation while no such hepatocytes were identified in the liver of mice not treated with DEN. No HCC was positive for the Y chromosome by FISH.

CONCLUSION: Hepatic stem cells derived from the bone marrow stromal cells have a low malignant potential in our mouse model of chemical hepatocarcinogenesis.

Keywords: Bone marrow stromal cell; Stem cell; Hepatocarcinogenesis; Animal study