Gene cloning of new factors from hepatic stellate cells, production of its antibody and functional analysis

肝星状细胞（Hepatic stellate cell， HSC）是肝脏内的一类细胞，具有许多独特的特征。HSC产生多种细胞因子和生长因子，在肝脏疾病的各种病理生理状态中发挥重要作用。本项目的目的是研究HSC生长分化的基因机制，并克隆在HSC生长分化中起重要作用的新因子。研究者选择并克隆了一种特异性基因，该基因在两种条件下表达，一种是HSC表达大T抗原（T-ag），另一种是HSC不表达T-ag，使用的是猴病毒40的温度敏感突变体。对被认为在HSC的活跃表型和静止表型中表达的特定基因进行了测序。提示这些基因在人肝组织慢性肝炎和肝硬化的病理生理状态中起重要作用。研究者还研究了HSC中有关纤维发生的信号转导，目前这项研究正在提交。该项目目前正在进行造血干细胞新因子的抗体生产和基因分析。建立抗纤维化的基因疗法是最终的目标。

Hepatic stellate cell (HSC) is one type of perisinusoidal cells in the liver and has many unique characteristics. HSC produce various cytokines and growth factors, and play an important role on the various pathophysiological state of liver diseases. Investigators carried out this project for studying the gene mechanism of HSC growth and differentiation, and for gene cloning of new factors which play an important role on HSC growth and differentiation.Investigators selected and cloned a specific gene which expressed under two conditions, the first was that HSC expressed large T antigen (T-ag) and the second was that HSC did not express T-ag, using temperature-sensitive mutant of simian virus 40. The specific genes which were thought to express in an active phenotype of HSC and in a quiescent phenotype of HSC were sequenced. It was suggested that these genes played an important role on the pathophysiological state of chronic hepatitis and liver cirrhosis in human liver tissue. Investigators also studied the signal transduction in HSC about fibrogenesis and this study is now being submitted.This project is now carrying out for an antibody production of new factors from HSC and for gene analysis. It is the final aim that the gene therapy against fibrosis is established.