INDUCTION OF STATHMIN EXPRESSION DURING LIVER-REGENERATION

Stathmin is a 19 kDa cytoplasmic phosphoprotein proposed to act as a r elay for signals activating diverse intracellular regulatory pathways. After two-thirds partial hepatectomy, the concentration of stathmin r eached a peak between 48 and 72 hours, comparable to the levels observ ed in neonatal liver, at about 10 times the basal adult level. Stathmi n then decreased to basal levels within 7 days, more rapidly than duri ng postnatal tissue development (7 weeks), with no detectable change i n its phosphorylation state. Interestingly, the mRNA for stathmin reac hed a peak much earlier than the protein, at 24 hours posthepatectomy, and decreased to a still detectable level until 96 hours after hepate ctomy. Altogether, the present results further support the generatilit y of the implication of stathmin in regulatory pathways of cell prolif eration and differentation during normal tissue development and posttr aumatic regeneration.