Expression of insulin receptor substrate-1 in hepatocytes: an investigation using monoclonal antibodies.

To investigate the expression and subcellular distribution of insulin receptor substrate-1 in hepatocytes, which are major targets of insulin along with muscle and adipose tissue, we obtained monoclonal antibodies by immunizing mice with a fusion protein consisting of the C-terminal portion of the human insulin receptor substrate-1 and glutathione-S-transferase. Two of the monoclonal antibodies (designated as 7B3 and 6G5) were found to be useful for immunohistochemical studies. Using 6G5 we demonstrate a high level of expression of insulin receptor substrate-1 in liver cirrhosis hepatocytes and variable expression in hepatocellular carcinoma cells. These results suggest that insulin receptor substrate-1 may play a role in liver regeneration during cirrhosis and that an insulin signaling cascade may be involved in hepatocarcinogenesis.