Huang Y.-W.Chiu C.-C.JA-DER LIANGChiou L.-L.GUAN-TARN HUANGMING-JIUN YULee, Hsuan-ShuHsuan-ShuLee2020-01-222020-01-22201519326203https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84926639380&doi=10.1371%2fjournal.pone.0122528&partnerID=40&md5=1b348f997a4af129b7bdcc532f53b836https://scholars.lib.ntu.edu.tw/handle/123456789/452859An appropriate liver-specific progenitor cell marker is a stepping stone in liver regenerative medicine. Here, we report brain isoform glycogen phosphorylase (GPBB) as a novel liver progenitor cell marker. GPBB was identified in a protein complex precipitated by a monoclonal antibody Ligab generated from a rat liver progenitor cell line Lig-8. Immunoblotting results show that GPBB was expressed in two liver progenitor cell lines Lig-8 and WB-F344. The levels of GPBB expression decreased in the WB-F344 cells under sodium butyrate (SB)-induced cell differentiation, consistent with roles of GPBB as a liver progenitor cell marker. Short hairpin RNA (shRNA)-mediated GPBB knockdown followed by glucose deprivation test shows that GPBB aids in liver progenitor cell survival under low glucose conditions. Furthermore, shRNA-mediated GPBB knockdown followed by SB-induced cell differentiation shows that reducing GPBB expression delayed liver progenitor cell differentiation. We conclude that GPBB is a novel liver progenitor cell marker, which facilitates liver progenitor cell survival under low glucose conditions and cell differentiation. ? 2015 Huang et al.[SDGs]SDG3butyric acid; glucose; glycogen phosphorylase; monoclonal antibody; monoclonal antibody Ligab; short hairpin RNA; unclassified drug; butyric acid; glycogen phosphorylase; animal cell; Article; cell differentiation; cell level; cell specificity; cell survival; complex formation; controlled study; enzyme activity; functional proteomics; gene silencing; growth regulation; hepatic progenitor cell; immunoblotting; nonhuman; protein expression; rat; animal; cell culture; cell differentiation; cell line; cytology; drug effects; enzymology; Fischer 344 rat; genetics; immunoprecipitation; liver; metabolism; stem cell; Rattus; Animals; Butyric Acid; Cell Differentiation; Cell Line; Cells, Cultured; Gene Knockdown Techniques; Glycogen Phosphorylase; Glycogen Phosphorylase, Brain Form; Immunoprecipitation; Liver; Rats; Rats, Inbred F344; Stem Cellsjournal article10.1371/journal.pone.01225282-s2.0-84926639380