Bone morphogenetic protein-7 in focus: A member of the transforming growth factor-β superfamily is implicated in the maintenance of liver health

✍ Scribed by Ralf Weiskirchen; Steffen K. Meurer

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2007
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 164 KB
• Volume: 45
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0270-9139
• DOI: 10.1002/hep.21694

✦ Synopsis

Bone morphogenic protein-7 (BMP-7) is a key protein involved in liver organogenesis and development. The physiological circulating concentration of BMP-7 is between 100 and 300 pg/ml. BMP-7 expression is absent in the liver, but the receptors for BMP-7 are present on adult hepatocytes. Therefore, we hypothesized that BMP-7 might function as an endogenous regulator of adult hepatocyte proliferation and liver homeostasis. Here, we demonstrate that neutralization of circulating endogenous BMP-7 results in significantly impaired regeneration of the liver after partial hepatectomy. Therapeutic administration of recombinant human BMP-7 (rhBMP-7) significantly enhances liver regeneration associated with accelerated improvement of liver function. Collectively, our results argue for the role of BMP-7 as a kidney-and bone-produced endogenous regulator of hepatocyte health.