RESEACH FOR THE TRANSDIFFERENTIATION OF PANCREATIC CELLS TO HEPATOCYTES

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Background & Aims: Hepatocyte-like cells have been observed in the pancreas of the rat. We examined the bile acid biosynthetic function of these cells to determine whether they are real hepatocytes. This study investigated the gene expression of two liver-specific enzymes regulating bile acid biosynthesis (cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase and ΔィイD14ィエD1-3-ketosteroid 5β-reductase) in the hepatocyte-like cells.Methods : Hepatocyte-like cells were induced in the rat pancreas by a copper depletion-repletion regimen. The expression of messenger RNA for cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase and ΔィイD14ィエD1-3-ketosteroid 5β-reductase was detected using the reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. The initial amount of cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase messenger RNA was quantified using the competitive polymerase chain reaction method.Results: Messenger RNA was expressed in the pancreatic hepatocyte-like cells for cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase and ΔィイD14ィエD1 -3-ketosteroid 5β-reductase. A circadian rhythm of cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase messenger RNA expression was identified.Conclusions: This study confirms that the hepatocyte-like cells produce bile acids.