These tools will no longer be maintained as of December 31, 2024. Archived website can be found here. PubMed4Hh GitHub repository can be found here. Contact NLM Customer Service if you have questions.


PUBMED FOR HANDHELDS

Search MEDLINE/PubMed


  • Title: Transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha) improves hepatic DNA synthesis after hepatectomy in cirrhotic rats.
    Author: Kokudo N, Kothary PC, Eckhauser FE, Raper SE.
    Journal: J Surg Res; 1992 Jun; 52(6):648-55. PubMed ID: 1528043.
    Abstract:
    Impaired liver regeneration in cirrhosis complicates the surgical treatment of liver tumors which arise in this setting. We developed a rat model to investigate the regenerative response of cirrhotic liver after hepatectomy and studied the effect of exogenous transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha), a potent liver mitogen. Micronodular cirrhosis was established by the simultaneous administration of CCl4 and phenobarbital. Hepatic DNA synthesis ([3H]thymidine incorporation into DNA) 24 hr after partial hepatectomy in cirrhotic rats was 15.6 +/- 3.4 cpm/micrograms DNA (means +/- SEM), which was significantly lower than in normal rats (37.3 +/- 3.4 cpm/micrograms DNA, P less than 0.05). Exogenous TGF-alpha (30 nmol/kg, sc every 12 hr) significantly improved [3H]thymidine incorporation (35.6 +/- 8.2 cpm/micrograms DNA, P less than 0.05). An autoradiographic nuclear labeling index also confirmed increased DNA synthesis (6.7% vs 13.4%). TGF-alpha had no effect on normal regenerating liver (42.5 +/- 8.8 cpm/micrograms DNA, NS). Although the significance of TGF-alpha-enhanced liver regeneration in cirrhosis has yet to be assessed, this model may be useful for the study of mechanisms which control hepatic proliferation.
    [Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]