Local secretion of TNF-alpha from the liver does not correlate with endotoxin, IL-6, or organ function in the early phase after orthotopic liver transplantation.
Hepatic ischemia/reperfusion leads to an excessive release of proinflammatory cytokines, which promotes local and remote cell damage. The value of cytokine measurement in humans for predicting graft function after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) remains unclear. Therefore, in this study, tumor-necrosis-factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and endotoxin (ET) levels were determined in the blood taken from the hepatic veins of 31 patients who underwent OLT. Peak levels of TNF-alpha in hepatic venous blood were measured shortly after reperfusion and were significantly higher than concentrations in the systemic circulation. IL-6 concentrations, peaking 90 min after reperfusion, only correlated with postoperative pulmonary dysfunction. ET was detectable in 21 patients, but levels did not correlate with either IL-6 or TNF-alpha concentrations. Additionally, serum cytokine levels did not correlate with the duration of ischemia or with histological changes seen in liver biopsies. In general, our study suggests that local secretion of cytokines does not predict liver function in the early posttransplant phase.
Tange
S
S
Department of Surgery, University Hospital Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauss-Allee 11, 93055 Regensburg, Germany.
Höfer
Y
Y
Welte
M
M
Anthuber
M
M
Jauch
K W
KW
Geissler
E K
EK
Ertel
W
W
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004731:Endotoxins / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism*; D007511:Ischemia; D008099:Liver / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism*
D004731:Endotoxins; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha