Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor Enhances Bone Marrow Mononuclear Cell Homing to the Liver in a Mouse Model of Acute Hepatic Injury

Experiments have reported that granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) can mobilize stem cells. However, few studies have examined the effect of G-CSF on bone marrow mononuclear cell (BMMC) mobilization, in particular regarding their capability to home to acutely injured liver. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effort of G-CSF on BMMC homing to the liver following chemically-induced hepatic failure. BMMC were isolated from mice, pre-labeled with PKH26 and infused into the mice in which hepatic injury had been induced followed by administration of G-CSF or vehicle. Livers were studied by fluorescent microscopy after transplantation of pre-labeled BMMC. PKH26 labeled cells were found in liver tissue at 102 +/- A 10 cells/high power field in the BMMC+G-CSF group and 30 +/- A 5 cells/high power field in the BMMC group, but none in the G-CSF group and the control group (P < 0.05). In the former two groups the majority of PKH26 labeled cells colocalized with proliferative cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). The number of PCNA positive cells in the BMMC+G-CSF group was 20 +/- A 4 cells/high power field, while in the BMMC group it was 14 +/- A 2 cells/high power field, in the G-CSF group 12 +/- A 2 cells/high power field, and 8 +/- A 1 cells/high power field in the control group. Moreover, albumin expression was increased in the BMMC+G-CSF treated group (149 +/- A 7/high power field) relative to the BMMC group (48 +/- A 6/high power field), the G-CSF group (44 +/- A 5/high power field) and the vehicle group (30 +/- A 6/high power field), with the former three groups showing elevated levels as compared to vehicle control (30 +/- A 6) (P < 0.05). Transplanted BMMC may home to injured liver, which appears to be enhanced by G-CSF administration.