The anti-proliferative effect of plasma from rats with acute fulminant hepatic failure.
BACKGROUND
During fulminant hepatic failure (FHF) metabolites normally cleared by the liver accumulate in the circulation and cause hepatic coma. It is believed that the plasma of FHF patients has an inhibitory effect on liver regeneration. Plasma exchange was used to study the effect of plasma collected from donor FHF rats on liver regeneration in two-thirds partially hepatectomized syngeneic animals.


METHODS
FHF and hepatic coma were induced in donors by administration of galactosamine at a dose of 1.85 g/kg. Plasma from donors in either grade-II or -IV coma was transfused by plasma exchange into partially hepatectomized animals 2h after resection.


RESULTS
The livers from donor animals showed evidence of oval cell activation 1-2 days after galactosamine, but differentiation of oval cells to hepatocytes did not occur before the development of coma. The plasma collected from animals in grade-IV coma totally abolished regeneration in the partially hepatectomized recipients.


CONCLUSIONS
These results support the hypothesis that metabolites present in the plasma during FHF inhibit liver regeneration.
Anilkumar
T
T
Dept. of Histopathology, Royal Postgraduate Medical School, Hammersmith Hospital, London, UK.
Ryan
C J
CJ
Aslam
M
M
Poulsom
R
R
Alison
M
M
D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D001782:Blood Donors; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005688:Galactosamine / Q000009:adverse effects; D006131:Growth Inhibitors / Q000097:blood* / Q000494:pharmacology; D006498:Hepatectomy; D006501:Hepatic Encephalopathy / Q000097:blood* / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology / Q000473:pathology; D008115:Liver Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects; D008940:Mitotic Index / Q000187:drug effects; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D010949:Plasma; D010951:Plasma Exchange; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D006131:Growth Inhibitors; D005688:Galactosamine; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine