Liver gene expression in animals with hepatocyte-specific deletion of JAK2

Growth hormone signaling in hepatocytes is fundamentally important. Disruptions in this pathway have led to fatty liver and other metabolic abnormalities. Growth hormone signals through the JAK2/STAT5 pathway. Mice with hepatocyte specific deletion of STAT5 were previously shown to develop fatty liver. Our aim in this study was to determine the effect of deleting JAK2 in hepatocytes on liver gene expression. To do so, we generated animals with hepatocyte specific deletion of JAK2. Hepatocyte-specific JAK2-deficient mice (JAK2L) were generated by mating floxed JAK2 mice (in a mixed (C57Bl/6:129Sv) background) to mice carrying an Alb promoter-regulated Cre transgene on a 100% C57Bl/6 background purchased from the Jackson Labs. Livers were harvested from 8 week old animals for RNA extraction and hybridization.