Evaluation of a hybrid artificial liver using a polyurethane foam packed-Bed culture system in dogs.
OBJECTIVE
We developed a polyurethane foam packed-bed culture system of hepatocyte spheroids as a hybrid artificial liver (PUF-HAL), which was effective for recovery from liver failure in rat experiments. In this report, the design of a scaled-up PUF-HAL for dogs is described and evaluated using a dog acute liver failure model.


METHODS
Warm ischemic liver failure was induced with a portocaval shunt in each dog. The dogs were divided into two groups: (1) a control group (N = 4), in which each dog was attached to a PUF-HAL without hepatocytes for 9 h, and (2) a HAL group (N = 5), in which each dog was attached to a PUF-HAL with hepatocytes. Blood pressure, blood ammonia, blood glucose, serum creatinine, and other parameters related to liver function were compared between the two groups.


RESULTS
In the HAL group, blood ammonia and serum creatinine levels were significantly lower, and blood pressure and blood glucose levels significantly higher, than those in the control group.


CONCLUSIONS
The scaled-up PUF-HAL developed for large animals is useful as a liver support system in the dog acute liver failure model.
Gion
T
T
Second Department of Surgery, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, 812-8582, Japan.
Shimada
M
M
Shirabe
K
K
Nakazawa
K
K
Ijima
H
H
Matsushita
T
T
Funatsu
K
K
Sugimachi
K
K
D000641:Ammonia / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D001794:Blood Pressure; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D004285:Dogs; D005112:Extracorporeal Circulation; D005260:Female; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology*; D017093:Liver Failure / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D019164:Liver, Artificial; D008297:Male; D011140:Polyurethanes / Q000737:chemistry; D016062:Porosity; D018874:Spheroids, Cellular
D001786:Blood Glucose; D011140:Polyurethanes; D000641:Ammonia; D003404:Creatinine