title: Vascular endothelial growth factor does not improve liver regeneration and survival after 90% subtotal liver resection.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has been shown to stimulate liver regeneration after 70% partial hepatectomy (PH). It is unclear, however, whether exogenous administration of VEGF can also be used to improve liver regeneration and survival after 90% subtotal liver resection. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of exogenous and endogenous VEGF after 90% subtotal hepatectomy (SH).
  
  
  METHODS
  Rats were subjected to 90% SH and treated with VEGF, anti-VEGF or NaCl. Postoperatively (3 h - 5 days) liver body weight ratio (LBR), hepatocyte proliferation and biochemical markers were assessed. ELISA was performed to measure protein levels for VEGF. Gene expression was determined by customized cDNA arrays and quantitative RT-PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Administration of VEGF did not enhance LBR or hepatic proliferation, or reduce the serum parameters. VEGF levels were the highest in VEGF-treated animals. The overall survival after 90% SH reached 78% in VEGF-treated animals, but did not differ significantly from that of anti-VEGF or NaCl-treated animals (74% and 75%, respectively). Gene expression analysis showed a modulation of anti-apoptotic and cell cycle control genes that was independent of VEGF.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In contrast to PH, liver regeneration and survival after SH cannot be modulated by VEGF. This indicates that the relevant mechanisms that stimulate liver regeneration after hepatectomy at least partially depend upon the extent of liver resection.
authors: Department of General-, Visceral- and Transplantation Surgery, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany.
authors: Maximilian
authors: M
authors: Bockhorn
authors: Stefanie
authors: S
authors: Schöllmann
authors: Bettina
authors: B
authors: Opitz
authors: Georgious C
authors: GC
authors: Sotiropoulos
authors: Sien-Yi
authors: SY
authors: Sheu
authors: Eva
authors: E
authors: Niehaus
authors: Martin
authors: M
authors: Trippler
authors: Andreja
authors: A
authors: Frilling
authors: Christoph E
authors: CE
authors: Broelsch
authors: Jörg F
authors: JF
authors: Schlaak