Figure 6.

PPARα activation promotes proliferation of Sox9⁺ hepatocytes, and FXR suppresses proliferation of Sox9⁺ hepatocytes after CCl₄-induced chronic liver injury in Sox9-Cre^ERT2; Rosa26-mTmG mice

(A) Schematic diagram showing mTom/mGFP reporter gene expression in the absence and presence of tamoxifen (TAM)-inducible Cre-mediated recombination.

(B) Sox9-Cre^ERT2; Rosa26-mTmG mice were intraperitoneally injected with a single dose of tamoxifen once per day for three days before treatment. The Sox9-Cre^ERT2; Rosa26-mTmG mice were received intraperitoneal paraffin oil injection (control group) or CCl₄ injection twice per week for four weeks and these mice were orally gavaged with either Veh, GW7647, or GW4064 four times a week for four weeks. BrdU was injected twice per day for two days before sacrifice.

(C) GFP(Sox9)/Hnf4α double staining was performed. Graphs show percentages of GFP⁺Hnf4α⁺ cell (n = 5). Scale bar represents 20μm.

(D) GFP(Sox9)/BrdU double staining was performed. Arrowheads depict the asymmetric division. Graphs show percentages of GFP⁺BrdU⁺ cell (n = 5). Scale bar represents 20μm. Data are expressed as means ± SD. Comparisons between multiple groups were performed using ordinary one-way ANOVA with the Dunnett's multiple comparison test. Significant difference is presented at the levels of ∗p < 0.05 and ∗∗p < 0.01.