Impaired liver regeneration in the analbuminemic rat.
Albumin has been implicated as both an inhibitor and a stimulator of liver regeneration. We examined the rate of liver regeneration following partial hepatectomy in rats which are genetically analbuminemic. Adult male analbuminemic and Sprague-Dawley control rats underwent either a 70% partial hepatectomy or a sham operation. Twenty-four hours postoperatively, rats were injected iv with tritiated thymidine and the liver remnants were resected 1 hr later. Liver weight, protein and DNA contents, and the rate of tritiated thymidine incorporation into DNA were determined. The rate of DNA synthesis in control sham-operated rats was greater (P less than 0.05) than that of analbuminemic rats. Following partial hepatectomy, there was a statistically significant (P less than 0.01) increase in DNA synthesis in control rats; no significant increase was noted in the analbuminemic rats. No significant differences in liver remnant weight or protein and DNA contents were noted between control and analbuminemic sham-operated or partially hepatectomized rats. Our data suggest that albumin plays a role in the regulation of DNA synthesis in both the resting and the regenerating liver and it may be essential in maintaining a normal rate of liver regeneration.
Hicks
B A
BA
Department of Surgery, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee 37232.
Drougas
J
J
Arnaout
W
W
Felcher
A
A
Moscioni
A D
AD
Levenson
S M
SM
Demetriou
A A
AA
D000418:Albumins / Q000032:analysis / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D004247:DNA / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006498:Hepatectomy; D008099:Liver / Q000032:analysis; D008115:Liver Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D011506:Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis
D000418:Albumins; D011506:Proteins; D012709:Serum Albumin; D004247:DNA