title: Splenic artery ligation: A protection against hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury in partially hepatectomized rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In liver resection, the temporary occlusion of the hepatoduodenal ligament (Pringle maneuver) is often used. However, the maneuver causes ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in the remnant liver. Heme oxygenase (HO)-1 has a cytoprotective role against this injury. Our aim is to investigate whether splenic artery ligation induces HO-1 expression in the liver and ameliorates the hepatic I/R injury in partially hepatectomized rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rats underwent splenic artery ligation by occluding the main splenic artery. Two days later, the total hepatic ischemia (Pringle maneuver) was conducted, and then a two-thirds partial hepatectomy (PH) was performed just before the start of reperfusion. HO inhibitor was twice injected s.c. at 3 and 16 h before the Pringle maneuver. HO-1 levels were determined by western blotting. Liver injury was biochemically assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In normal rats, HO-1 was highly expressed in the spleen, but not in the liver. Splenic artery ligation induced HO-1 in the livers. When rats underwent 20 and 30 min of Pringle maneuver/PH, survival rates were 28% and 8%, respectively. Splenic artery ligation significantly improved both the survival rates: 73% and 56%, respectively. Under these conditions, administration of HO-1 inhibitor at least partly negated the efficacy of splenic artery ligation. Splenic artery ligation also increased the recovery rate of the remnant liver mass and platelet counts in Pringle maneuver/PH-treated rats.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Splenic artery ligation was significantly effective on the hepatic I/R injury in partially hepatectomized rats. Induction of HO-1 may be at least partly involved in the improvement of this injury.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery             Nephrology             Division of Pathophysiology, Medical Research Institute, Tokyo Medical and Dental University             Minami-Ikebukuro Clinic, Tokyo             Department of Surgery, Tsuchiura Kyodo General Hospital, Tsuchiura, Japan.
authors.forename: Takumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Irie
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Hisashi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ozasa
authors.forename: Yumi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Noda
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ikeda
authors.forename: Shinji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Shigeki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arii
authors.forename: Saburo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Horikawa