Hepatic expression and serum levels of thrombomodulin reflect the extent of liver injury in rats with fulminant hepatic failure and extensive hepatectomy.
In order to evaluate the biological significance of thrombomodulin (TM) in the serum and its expression in the liver, changes in TM were investigated in rats with fulminant hepatic failure (FHF) or after extensive hepatectomy. Forty-two rats were divided into four groups as follows: control (sham, n=6), 70% hepatectomy (70% Hx, n=12), 90% hepatectomy (90% Hx, n=12) and fulminant hepatic failure (FHF, n=12). The soluble-TM levels in the 90% Hx and FHF groups were significantly higher than that in the 70% Hx group. In the FHF group, the soluble-TM level 24 h after induction was significantly higher than that at 12 h (P<0.05). Moreover, the level of soluble TM was significantly higher in the FHF group than that in the 90% Hx group, while hyaluronic acid was not increased at statistical significance. The expression of TM in the liver intensified with time in both FHF and 90% Hx groups, which was more pronounced in zone 3 of the liver in FHF group than in the 90% Hx group. In conclusion, elevation of s-TM in the serum and expression of TM in the sinusoidal endothelial cell are useful markers of hepatic failure and its sinusoidal endothelial injury, especially in the state of FHF, since the presence of necrotic liver tissue is the only difference between FHF and 90% Hx in the model of the rats.
Miyamoto
Shungo
S
Departments of Surgery II, Nagasaki University School of Medicine, 1-7-1 Sakamoto, 852-8501, Nagasaki, Japan
Eguchi
Susumu
S
Sugiyama
Nozomu
N
Kawazoe
Yasushi
Y
Kamohara
Yukio
Y
Fujioka
Hikaru
H
Yanaga
Katsuhiko
K
Furui
Junichiro
J
Kanematsu
Takashi
T