[Ursodeoxycholic acid promotes liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy in bile duct obstructive rats].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) on liver regeneration after 70% partial hepatectomy (PH) in bile duct obstructive (BDO) rats.


METHODS
Wistar rats were randomly divided into N-PH group in which normal rats were operated with 70% PH, BDO-PH group in which 70% PH were operated after two week's BDO, and BDO-PH UDCA or sterile saline treatment group in which UDCA (15mg kg(-1) d(-1)) or saline was administrated during BDO and after 70% PH. The hepatic pathological changes were observed. BrdU labeling of hepatocytes, the mRNA expression of intrahepatic hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and its receptor (Met gene) after 70% PH were measured by immunohistochemical analysis and RT-PCR, respectively.


RESULTS
Improvements of hepatic function and pathological changes were induced by UDCA administration after BDO. The expression of hepatic HGF/Met mRNA after 70% PH in BDO-PH UDCA treatment group rats was significantly increased compared with N-PH group rats (P<0.05), BrdU peak labelling of hepatocytes (59.39% +/- 10.82%) in BDO-PH UDCA treatment group rats was significantly higher than that (36.22% +/- 8.37%) in BDO-PH group rats (t=4.149, P<0.01) and without significance compared with N-PH group rats (68.64% +/- 11.26%, t=1.451, P >0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
UDCA promotes liver regeneration after 70% PH in BDO rats by remission of hepatic pathological changes and elevating hepatic mRNA expression of HGF and Met.
Xu
Mingqing
M
Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Southwestern Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China.
Han
Benli
B
Xue
Lan
L
Gong
Jianping
J
D000818:Animals; D002779:Cholestasis / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D006498:Hepatectomy; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor / Q000235:genetics; D008099:Liver / Q000502:physiology* / Q000601:surgery; D008115:Liver Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D019859:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014580:Ursodeoxycholic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor; D014580:Ursodeoxycholic Acid; D019859:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met