Figure 3.

The liver regeneration signal was significantly enhanced after SG. (A) BrdU staining, (B) Ki67 immunofluorescence, and (C) PCNA immunohistochemistry showed enhanced liver regeneration signals after SG. (D) The changes in the expression level of regeneration-related genes were shown by qRT-PCR results in the form of a heatmap. (E) Liver tissue Western blot results showed that Stat3, a classical signal of liver regeneration, was significantly up-regulated after SG. (F) Immunofluorescence staining of Stat3 in its phosphorylated form demonstrated whole-liver activation of Stat3-mediated regeneration signaling after SG. (Data are shown as mean±SE. ****=P<0.0001. For panels A–C, seven visual fields were collected to calculate BrdU, Ki67, and PCNA positive rates, respectively). DIO, diet-induced obese; SG, sleeve gastrectomy; PCNA, proliferating cell nuclear antigen.