Up-regulation of nm23/NDP kinase expression in regenerating hepatocytes.

We analyzed the kinetics and subcellular localization of nm23-M1 and nm23-M2 in in vivo proliferating mouse liver cells after partial hepatectomy. Along with the regenerative growth rate measured by mitotic index, the expression of both nm23-M1 and nm23-M2 was altered with distinct kinetics. Among the subcellular fractions of regenerating hepatocytes, the increase in the quantity of nm23-M1 and nm23-M2 was the most dominant in the nuclear fractions. In in vitro proliferating human hepatocellular carcinoma cells (PLC/PRF/5) stimulated by hepatocyte growth factor, both nm23-H1 and nm23-H2 were dominantly accumulated around nuclear membranes.