Therapeutic effect comparison of hepatocyte-like cells and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in acute liver failure of rats.

Goals: To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) induced into hepatocyte-like cells and of un-induced BMSCs in acute liver failure rats. Methods: BMSCs in highly homogenous passage 3 were cultured using the whole bone marrow adherent culture method. Hepatic-related characters were confirmed with morphology, RT-PCR analysis, glycogen staining and albumin (ALB) immunofluorescence assay. Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) was injected intraperitoneally to establish an acute rat liver failure model. Hepatocyte-like cells or un-induced BMSCs were respectively injected into the models to examine rats’ appearance, liver function assay and liver tissue pathology. Results: Hepatocyte-like morphology, higher expression of cytokeratin 18 (CK18) mRNA and ALB protein, and glycogen accumulation were confirmed in the induced BMSCs. The transplanted DAPI-labeled BMSCs were localized in the liver tissue 3-14 days after transplantation. The levels of liver function indicators (AST, ALT, ALP, and TBIL) from transplanted rats were significant decreased and pathology was improved, indicating the recovery of liver function. However, the differences were statistically insignificant. Conclusion: Both hepatocyte-like cells and un-induced BMSCs had a similarly positively therapeutic efficacy on liver regeneration in rat liver failure model.