The effect and mechanism of terlipressin on liver regeneration after 70 ％ hepatectomy in rats

Objective To explore the protective effect of terlipressin on liver function recovery and hepatic regeneration after 70％ hepatectomy in rats.Methods Sixty male Wistar rats weighing 230-250 g were randomly divided into three groups:group A undergoing 70％ liver resection alone; group B undergoing 70％ hepatectomy and splenectomy ; group C undergoing 70％ hepatectomy and the same dose of terlipressin.Portal veneous pressure in rats was monitored preoperatively and postoperatively at each observation time point.Blood from the inferior vena cava was used to do blood routine test and liver function test,and detect the expression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-cα and interleukin (IL)-6 by enzyme-linked enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).Part of the liver was stored in the-80 ℃ to detect the expression of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) in the liver tissue by Western blotting; and the remaining part of liver was fixed by 4％ formaldehyde to make routine HE staining and immunohistochemical staining [liver cells:proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA)].Results (1) Portal pressure in group A was significantly higher than preoperation (P ＜ 0.05).Portal pressure in groups B and C was lower than in group A,and that in group B was lower than in group C [(13.81 ±0.24) 、(12.38 ±0.37) cmH2O,P ＜0.05] ; (2) As compared with group A,serum alanine transaminase (ALT),aspartate aminotransferase (AST),and total bilirubin (TBIL) levels in groups B and C were lower than in group A on the first and third day (P ＜0.05),and those in group B were lower than in group C (P ＜ 0.05) ; (3) As compared with group A,the PCNA indexs in groups B and C group were increased on the first and third day after surgery (P ＜0.05),and those in group B were higher than in group C (P ＜0.05) ; (4) The TNF-α and IL-6 levels in group C were lower than those in group C at first and third day postoperation (P ＜ 0.05) ; (5) HGF levels in groups B and C were higher than those in group A at first and third day postoperation (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion Terlipressin can lower early portal vein pressure effectively after 70％ hepatectomy,ameliorate the status of portal hyperfusion,improve liver function and promote liver regeneration. Key words: Terlipressin;  Liver regeneration ;  Portal hyperfusion ;  Proliferating cell nuclear antigen;  Hepatocyte growth factor