Portal vein ligation accelerates tumor growth in ligated, but not contralateral lobes.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the mechanisms of liver growth and atrophy after portal vein ligation (PVL) and its effects on tumor growth.


METHODS
Mice were subjected to PVL, partial hepatectomy, or sham surgery. The morphological alterations, activation of transcription factors, and expression of cytokines and growth factors involved in liver regeneration were evaluated. In a separate set of experiments, murine colorectal carcinoma cells were injected via the portal vein and the effect of each operation on liver tumor growth was studied.


RESULTS
Liver regeneration after PVL and partial hepatectomy were very similar. In ligated lobes, various cytokines, transcription factors and regulatory factors were significantly upregulated compared to non-ligated lobes after PVL. Atrophy in ligated lobes was a result of early necrosis followed by later apoptosis. Tumor growth was significantly accelerated in ligated compared to non-ligated lobes.


CONCLUSIONS
Tumor growth was accelerated in ligated liver lobes and appeared to be a result of increased growth factor expression.
Sakai
Nozomu
N
Department of Surgery, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45267-0558, United States.
Clarke
Callisia N
CN
Schuster
Rebecca
R
Blanchard
John
J
Tevar
Amit D
AD
Edwards
Michael J
MJ
Lentsch
Alex B
AB
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D001284:Atrophy; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D006498:Hepatectomy; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008026:Ligation; D008099:Liver / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism / Q000556:secondary*; D008115:Liver Regeneration; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D011169:Portal Vein / Q000601:surgery*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013997:Time Factors; D047368:Tumor Burden
D016207:Cytokines; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins