Erythropoietin treatment improves liver regeneration and survival in rat models of extended liver resection and living donor liver transplantation.

摘要: BACKGROUND Inadequate liver regeneration is still an unsolved problem in major resection and living donor transplantation (LDLT). Therefore, we have investigated the use of erythropoietin (EPO) as exogenous stimulator rat models LDLT. METHODS Rats were treated with EPO or heat-inactivated EPO-vehicles. Animals underwent 70% 90% partial hepatectomy (PH) 30% (pLTx). Serum samples taken to investigate function, liver-to-body weight ratio (LBWR), hepatocyte-proliferation (Ki-67), apoptosis (terminal deoxynucleotide transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling-assay), proregenerative cytokines (interleukin [IL]-6/tumor necrosis factor-alpha), angiogenesis. Gene expression was assessed by in-house cDNA array quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. As clinical parameters, LBWR overall survival determined. RESULTS Erythropoietin led improved shown increased LBWR/Ki-67 after PH pLTx. Liver damage, indicated serum activity aspartate aminotransferase, alanine glutamate dehydrogenase reduced PH. After surgery treatment induced modulation c-jun, IL-6, p53, antiapoptotic gene Bcl-XL, which accompanied a decreased rate (0.56% vs. 1.03%; P<0.04). IL-6 production at 12 hr, although no effects could be found concerning tumor factor-alpha In addition, EPO-treated rats showed significantly 28-day (92% 67%) pLTx (88% 38%). CONCLUSIONS may therefore represent promising strategy optimize outcome extended LDLT future.