Clinical significance of lymphocytes hepatocyte growth factor mRNA expression in patients after liver transplantation.
Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) plays a key role in the regulation of liver regeneration after hepatocyte damage. Changes in HGF gene expression reflect the status of the regeneration process.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to ascertain the clinical significance of the expression of HGF among liver transplant patients.


METHODS
Expression of the mRNA of HGF among peripheral blood lymphocytes were measured prior to as well as at 1, 2, 6, and 10 days after liver transplantation in a group of 30 liver recipients.


RESULTS
In first 24 hours after reperfusion, the patients with compromised graft function (group 1) showed persistently higher HGF gene expression after reperfusion compared with patients displaying well-functioning grafts (group 0; P = .0189). Between postoperative days 1 and 10, there was a rapid decrease in gene expression among group 0 compared with group 1 (P = .0155). The significant decrease observed in the both groups reached a certain plateau after 48 hours postoperatively. There was no statistical difference in aminotransaminase levels over the days after liver transplantation. The decreased mRNA HGF expression in lymphocytes preceded the decrease in aminotransferase levels.


CONCLUSIONS
HGF was more sensitive to predict early graft function than prothrombin time, aspartate aminotransferase, and alanine aminotransferase levels. The determination of HGF expression level in lymphocytes after liver transplantation may yield valuable information for evaluation of early graft function.
Dudek
K
K
Department of General, Transplant and Liver Surgery, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland. krzysztofdudek@o2.pl
Kornasiewicz
O
O
Koziak
K
K
Kotulski
M
M
Kalinowski
P
P
Zieniewicz
K
K
Krawczyk
M
M
D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011517:Prothrombin Time; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase