The expression of albumin mRNA in human liver samples was investigated in order to understand the molecular mechanism of albumin gene expression in various liver diseases. Albumin mRNA in acute hepatic failure and decompensated liver cirrhosis was reduced significantly compared to normal control liver (P less than 0.05). Serum albumin concentration is closely correlated with albumin mRNA content (r = 0.895, P less than 0.01). These data suggest that albumin concentration is mainly regulated at albumin mRNA level in the liver despite the presence of other regulatory mechanisms and that expression of albumin mRNA level is correlated with disease severity. But in several cases there was a discrepancy between albumin mRNA level and severity of liver disease, so further investigation of the regulatory factors of albumin gene expression should be performed.

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The relative abundance of rat aldolase A, B, C, alpha-fetoprotein, and albumin mRNAs was determined by Northern hybridization during liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy. Aldolase A mRNA increased more than 10-fold on the 3rd day after partial resection compared with that of normal adult rat liver. S1 analysis revealed that three species of aldolase A mRNAs (mRNA I, II & III) reappeared. However, transcriptional rate of aldolase A mRNA did not change at all during the regeneration. In contrast, aldolase B, aldolase C and albumin mRNAs did not change at all. These findings suggest that the differentiated hepatocyte maintains a differentiated state during the liver regeneration as seen in aldolase B, whereas "oncofetal" isozymes such as aldolase A resurge after partial hepatectomy under the control of post-transcriptional mechanism.

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