Expression of inositol 1,4,5‐trisphosphate receptor isoforms in rat cirrhosis

Ca 2+ signals mediate the hepatic effects of numerous hormones and growth factors. Hepatic Ca 2+ signals are elicited by the inositol trisphosphate receptor, an intracellular Ca 2+ channel. Three isoforms of this receptor have been identified; they are expressed and regulated differently. We investigated the effect of liver fibrosis and cirrhosis on the hepatic expression of the inositol trisphosphate receptor isoforms. Two different rat models were used: bile duct ligation (fibrosis) and chronic exposure to CCl 4 /phenobarbital (cirrhosis). Messenger RNA levels were determined by ribonuclease protection assay (RPA), competitive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by Southern blotting, and real‐time quantitative PCR. Protein expression was assessed by Western blotting; tissue distribution was assessed by immunohistology. In control animals, isoform 2 was the predominant isoform, isoform 1 represented less than one third, and isoform 3 less than 1%. After bile duct ligation, expression of types 1 and 3 increased 1.9‐ and 5.7‐fold, and expression of type 2 decreased 2.5‐fold at the protein level. After exposure to CCl 4 /phenobarbital, expression of types 1, 2, and 3 were 2.4‐, 0.9‐, and 4.2‐fold their expression in control animals. Type 2 was localized to the apical domain of hepatocytes, consistent with a role for Ca 2+ signals in canalicular function. Type 3 was detectable in intrahepatic bile duct epithelial cells and not in hepatocytes, suggesting that Ca 2+ signals may be regulated differently in these cells. Signaling through inositol trisphosphate receptor participates in the pathogenesis of cirrhosis, because this process affects the expression of its isoforms.