Members of the Cyr61/CTGF/NOV Protein Family: Emerging Players in Hepatic Progenitor Cell Activation and Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma

Figure 1

Dynamic expression of CCN proteins in HPC and human CCA tumors. (a) Transcriptional levels of the proinflammatory gene TNFα, the HPC marker EpCAM, and fibrosis related genes α-SMA and collagen α1(I) were measured by RT-PCR analysis to assess the development of HPC activation and biliary fibrosis in mice that were fed DDC for 0–20 days. CCN transcripts were determined in the DDC damaged mouse livers (a) or in human CCA tissues by quantitative RT-PCR analysis (c). (b) H&E staining and Sirius Red staining show the development of ductular reaction and liver fibrosis in DDC-fed mice. Scale bar: 250 μm. (c) Data were calculated from CCA and corresponding nontumor samples from five human livers as compared to normal livers from three healthy donors. NL: normal liver from healthy donors; NT: adjacent nontumor tissues from CCA patients; T: tumor tissues from CCA patients. .

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