Expression of hepatic thrombopoietin mRNA in primary cultured hepatocytes and in rats with acute liver injury or bone marrow suppression with or without cirrhosis

Abstract

Our results suggest that bone marrow is not a regulator of hepatic TPO production in cirrhosis. The reduced TPO mRNA expression found in cirrhotic rats may not result merely from serious cellular damage; it may be associated with cirrhosis-specific regulatory mechanisms for the expression of the TPO gene. Further studies are needed to search for other factors that may induce reduced TPO expression.