[Changes in splenic macrophage function of hypersplenism due to portal hypertension].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the changes in function of splenic macrophages of hypersplenism due to portal hypertension (PH), and to provide experimental evidence for exploring the immune function of spleen in PH.


METHODS
Twelve patients with hypersplenism due to PH and four patients with traumatic rupture of spleen, from September 2005 to March 2006, were enrolled into PH group and control group, respectively. Splenic M phi were isolated and purified by anchoring cultivation from all the patients, and were resuspended by RPMI-1640. Phagocytosis, cytokine secretion and antigen processing and presenting of splenic M phi were detected by Vybrant Phagocytosis Assay, the human TNF-alpha Elispot kits and DQ ovalbumin.


RESULTS
Compare to the normal splenic M phi, the phagocytosis rate, antigen presentation positive cells and secretion positive cells, were all significantly increased in PH splenic M phi (86.4 +/- 7.1 vs. 61.8 +/- 4.1, 26.3 +/- 1.6 vs. 15.6 +/- 1.8, 387.0 +/- 24.3 vs. 240.3 +/- 13.0, P<0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
The phagocytosis, cytokine secretion and antigen processing and presenting of splenic M phi in PH spleen were all significantly increased, and the M phi retained at activated state. It means that the PH spleen still possessed the immune function, but these functions might be in disorder. It still needs more research to get the precious evaluation for immune function in the PH spleen.
Li
Zong-fang
ZF
Department of Surgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710004, China. lzf2568@mail.xjtu.edu.cn
Zhang
Shu
S
D000328:Adult; D017951:Antigen Presentation / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006971:Hypersplenism / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology*; D006975:Hypertension, Portal / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000276:immunology; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000276:immunology
D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha