Shmarakov I. Biochemical aspects of retinoid-dependent metabolic and signaling pathways functioning

The thesis deals with functional foundation of retinoid-dependent metabolic and signaling pathways in cells and tissues in health and under experimental pathogenesis. For the first time the role of endogenously stored in hepatic stellate cells and nutritional retynil esters as well as retinoid signaling showed to be essential for regenerative proliferation and metabolic response after acute mechanical and chemical liver injury and in vivo malignant tumor growth; the role of hepatic stellate cells and hepatocytes in proretinoid carotenoids metabolism is proven. It is determined that hepatic stellate cells possess the ability to accumulate and convert P-carotene into retinoids due to high expression of P-carotene-15, 15'- monooxygenases (BCMOl). Expression of P-carotene-9', 10'-monooxygenase (BCM02) is characteristic for hepatocytes and increased in the absence of Bcmol.