Comparison of liver regeneration after a splenectomy and splenic artery ligation in a dimethylnitrosamine-induced cirrhotic rat model.
OBJECTIVE
A splenectomy and splenic artery ligation accelerate liver regeneration and improve liver function after a hepatectomy. However, there are no studies that directly compared the effects of a splenectomy and splenic artery ligation. In the present study, we compared the effects of a splenectomy and splenic artery ligation in cirrhotic rats.


METHODS
Dimethylnitrosamine (DMN) was administered intraperitoneally for 4 weeks to induce cirrhosis. The rats were divided into three groups: sham operation (CT group), splenic artery ligation (SAL group) and splenectomy (SP group). Liver functions [alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and total bilirubin (T. Bil)], plasma TGF-beta1, histopathological changes, extent of liver fibrosis (fibrotic rate) and regeneration [Ki-67 labelling index(LI)] were investigated in each group.


RESULTS
ALT and T. Bil levels were significantly lower in the SP group than the CT and SAL groups. TGF-beta1 levels were significantly lower in the SP group than in the CT and SAL groups. The fibrotic rate was significantly lower in the SP group than in the CT and SAL groups. The Ki-67 labelling index was significantly higher in the SP group than in the CT and SAL groups.


CONCLUSIONS
A splenectomy significantly improved liver regeneration with reduction of plasma TGF-beta1 levels compared with splenic artery ligation in DMN-treated cirrhotic rats.
Morinaga
Akio
A
Department of Surgery, Kurume University School of Medicine, 67 Asahi-machi, Kurume-city, Fukuoka, Japan. morinaga-akio@kurume-u.ac.jp
Ogata
Toshiro
T
Kage
Masayosi
M
Kinoshita
Hisafumi
H
Aoyagi
Sigeaki
S
D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D004128:Dimethylnitrosamine; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D008026:Ligation; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008115:Liver Regeneration; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013156:Splenectomy; D013157:Splenic Artery / Q000601:surgery*; D013997:Time Factors; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000097:blood
D015415:Biomarkers; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D004128:Dimethylnitrosamine; D001663:Bilirubin