Prevention of Acute Liver Failure in Rats with Reversibly Immortalized Human Hepatocytes

• DOI: 10.1126/science.287.5456.1258
• Publication Date: 2002-07-27T09:40:21Z
• Authors: Naoya Kobayashi; Toshiyoshi Fujiwara; Karen A. Westerman; Yusuke Inoue; Masakiyo Sakaguchi; Hirofumi Noguchi; Masahiro Miyazaki; Jin Cai; Noriaki Tanaka; Ira J. Fox; Philippe Leboulch
• Keywords: Bioartificial liver device; Immunosuppression; Reversion; Immortalised cell line; Economic shortage; Liver disease

Because of a critical shortage in suitable organs, many patients with terminal liver disease die each year before transplantation can be performed. Transplantation isolated hepatocytes has been proposed for the temporary metabolic support awaiting or spontaneous reversion their disease. A major limitation this form therapy is present inability to isolate an adequate number transplantable hepatocytes. highly differentiated cell line, NKNT-3, was generated by retroviral transfer normal primary adult human immortalizing gene that subsequently and completely excised Cre/Lox site-specific recombination. When transplanted into spleen rats under transient immunosuppression, reversibly immortalized NKNT-3 cells provided life-saving during acute failure induced 90% hepatectomy.