Administration of granulocyte colony stimulating factor after liver transplantation leads to an increased incidence and severity of ischemic biliary lesions in the rat model.
OBJECTIVE
Recently it has been reported that granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) can induce hypercoagulability in healthy bone marrow donors. It is conceivable that the induction of a prothrombotic state in a recipient of an organ graft with already impaired perfusion might cause further deterioration in the transplanted organ. This study evaluated whether G-CSF treatment worsens liver perfusion following liver transplantation in the rat model.


METHODS
A non-arterialized rat liver transplantation model was employed to evaluate the effect of G-CSF treatment on the liver in a syngeneic and allogeneic strain combination. Study outcomes included survival time and liver damage as investigated by liver enzymes and liver histology. Observation times were 1 d, 1 wk and 12 wk.


RESULTS
Rats treated with G-CSF had increased incidence and severity of biliary damage following liver transplantation. In these animals, hepatocellular necrosis was accentuated in the centrilobular region. These lesions are indicative of impaired perfusion in G-CSF treated animals.


CONCLUSIONS
G-CSF should be used with caution in recipients of liver transplantation, as treatment might enhance preexisting, undetected perfusion problems and ultimately lead to ischemia induced biliary complications.
Dirsch
Olaf
O
Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Cologne, Germany.
Chi
Haidong
H
Ji
Yuan
Y
Gu
Yan Li
YL
Broelsch
Christoph E
CE
Dahmen
Uta
U
D000818:Animals; D001659:Biliary Tract / Q000187:drug effects*; D001660:Biliary Tract Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D005260:Female; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007511:Ischemia / Q000139:chemically induced*; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D013997:Time Factors; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor