Objective: To investigate the effects of augmenter of liver regeneration (ALR) on the proliferation of hepatocytes and hepatic tumor cells and the expression of ALR in herpatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
Methods: Primary rat hepatocytes, QGY and HepG2 cells were cultured separately with ALR from different species. Cell proliferation was detected by their 3H-TdR uptake. The expression of ALR was examined in 9 normal hepatic tissues and 21 HCC cases using immunohistochemistry method.
Results: Different ALRs could stimulate the proliferation of HepG2 and QGY cells in a dose-dependent way in vitro, but all ALR had no influence in the proliferation of primary rat hepatocytes. The expression of ALR was absent in normal hepatic tissues, but present in all HCC hepatic tissues. However, the expression of ALR had no relationship with the differentiation and size of the carcinomas.
Conclusion: ALR might play an important role in the occurrence and development of HCC.