99mTc-GSA scintigraphy with SPECT for assessment of hepatic function and functional volume during liver regeneration in a rat model of partial hepatectomy.

Unlabelled: Small-animal models are crucial to gain insights in the complex recovery mechanisms of liver function during liver regeneration. (99m)Tc-Mebrofenin hepatobiliary scintigraphy (HBS) has been introduced for noninvasive assessment of liver function in the clinical setting as well as in experimental research. However, HBS is restricted to planar modalities in small animals because hepatic kinetics are generally too fast for SPECT acquisition.

C-reactive protein and natural IgM antibodies are activators of complement in a rat model of intestinal ischemia and reperfusion.

Background: The role of C-reactive protein (CRP), natural immunoglobulin M (IgM), and natural IgM against phosphorylcholine (anti-Pc IgM) was investigated in relation with complement activation in a rat model of intestinal ischemia and reperfusion (II/R). The effect of C1-esterase inhibitor (C1-Inh) on this complement activation along with other inflammatory mediators was also studied.

Methods: Rats were subjected to 1 h of superior mesenteric artery occlusion and 3 h of reperfusion.

IL-10 attenuates hepatic I/R injury and promotes hepatocyte proliferation.

Background: One of the most important determinants of the outcome of hepatic ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) injury is the onset of the inflammatory response. Interleukin-10 (IL-10) is a potent anti-inflammatory cytokine. It inhibits the production of interleukin-6 (IL-6), which however, also is involved in priming hepatocyte proliferation.

Risk assessment of posthepatectomy liver failure using hepatobiliary scintigraphy and CT volumetry.

Unlabelled: A major part of morbidity and mortality after liver resections is caused by inadequate remnant liver function leading to liver failure. It is therefore important to develop accurate diagnostic tools that can predict the risk of liver resection-related morbidity and mortality. In this study, preoperative hepatobiliary scintigraphy of the future remnant liver and CT volumetric measurement of the future remnant liver were performed on patients who were to undergo liver resection.

Preservation of steatotic livers: a comparison between cold storage and machine perfusion preservation.

Liver grafts are frequently discarded due to steatosis. Steatotic livers can be classified as suboptimal and deteriorate rapidly during hypothermic static preservation, often resulting in graft nonfunction. Hypothermic machine perfusion (MP) has been introduced for preservation of donor livers instead of cold storage (CS), resulting in superior preservation outcomes.

Severe steatosis increases hepatocellular injury and impairs liver regeneration in a rat model of partial hepatectomy.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the influence of severe steatosis with inflammation on hepatocellular recovery after 70% hepatectomy in a rat model of diet-induced steatosis.

Background: Patients with steatosis have an increased risk of inflammatory complications after liver resection. This might be attributable to Kupffer cell-mediated inflammation in steatotic livers causing progressive injury.

Peritoneal lavage with activated protein C alters compartmentalized coagulation and fibrinolysis and improves survival in polymicrobial peritonitis.

Objective: During peritonitis, intra-abdominal fibrin entraps bacteria and hampers their elimination. Systemic administration of anticoagulant activated protein C improves survival in patients with severe sepsis, but its precise mode of action is unclear. This study in polymicrobial peritonitis assessed the effects of local activated protein C administration in peritoneal lavage fluid on coagulation, fibrinolysis, and survival.

Liver protection by hypothermic perfusion at different temperatures during total vascular exclusion.

Introduction: In situ hypothermic perfusion (HP) can be applied to attenuate ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) injury during liver resection under total vascular exclusion (TVE). This study examines the protective effect of cooling by HP at 20 and 28 degrees C as compared with no HP during TVE in a porcine liver I/R model.

Methods: Twenty-one pigs underwent 60 min TVE of the liver followed by 24 h reperfusion.

Imaging of liver function with dedicated animal dynamic pinhole scintigraphy in rats.

Background: Non-invasive evaluation of liver function in small animal models remains a challenge. Hepatobiliary scintigraphy (HBS) enables the assessment of total and regional liver function for both uptake and excretion in larger species.

Aim: To validate quantitative liver function assessment with dedicated pinhole HBS in rats.

Bovine intestinal alkaline phosphatase attenuates the inflammatory response in secondary peritonitis in mice.

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) contributes importantly to morbidity and mortality in sepsis. Bovine intestinal alkaline phosphatase (BIAP) was demonstrated to detoxify LPS through dephosphorylation. LPS injection combined with BIAP reduced inflammation and improved survival in various experimental settings.

Improved rat liver preservation by hypothermic continuous machine perfusion using polysol, a new, enriched preservation solution.

For experimental machine perfusion (MP) of the liver, the modified University of Wisconsin solution (UW-G) is most often used. In our search for an enriched MP preservation solution, Polysol was developed. Polysol is enriched with various amino acids, vitamins, and other nutrients for the liver metabolism.

Kidney growth in normal and diabetic mice is not affected by human insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1 administration.

Insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) accumulates in the kidney following the onset of diabetes, initiating diabetic renal hypertrophy. Increased renal IGF-I protein content, which is not reflected in messenger RNA (mRNA) levels, suggests that renal IGF-I accumulation is due to sequestration of circulating IGF-I rather than to local synthesis. It has been suggested that IGF-I is trapped in the kidney by IGF binding protein 1 (IGFBP-1).

Inhibition of coagulation and inflammation by activated protein C or antithrombin reduces intestinal ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats.

Objective: To examine whether administration of activated protein C or antithrombin reduces local splanchnic derangement of coagulation and inflammation and attenuates intestinal dysfunction and injury following intestinal ischemia/reperfusion.

Design: Randomized prospective animal study.

Setting: University research institute.

Preoperative assessment of postoperative remnant liver function using hepatobiliary scintigraphy.

Unlabelled: Hepatic resection is the therapy of choice for malignant and symptomatic benign hepatobiliary tumors. The concept of remnant liver volume (RLV) has been introduced and can be assessed with CT. However, inhomogeneous liver function distribution and a lack of correlation between morphologic hypertrophy and functional recovery fuelled the enthusiasm for functional imaging.

Enhancement of endogenous fibrinolysis does not reduce local fibrin deposition, but modulates inflammation upon intestinal ischemia and reperfusion.

This study investigated the contribution of endogenous suppression of fibrinolysis and increased fibrin deposition to intestinal dysfunction and injury in a rat model of intestinal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R), as fibrinolytic inhibition may lead to thrombotic obstructions that compromise microcirculation and promote intestinal injury. Circulatory fibrinolysis was enhanced by intravenous administration of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) or by inhibition of PAI-I by administration of MA-33H1F7. Coagulation and fibrinolysis parameters obtained from portal blood were correlated to fibrin deposition (determined by anti-rat fibrin antibody staining), intestinal function (glucose/water clearance) and intestinal injury (histological evaluation by Park/Chiu score).

High-protein induced renal enlargement is growth hormone independent.

Background: Growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) have been postulated as pathogenic factors in several forms of renal growth, including that induced by high-protein (HP) diets. Compensatory renal growth (CRG) following renal uninephrectomy is strictly GH dependent, while the exact role of GH as a regulating factor in HP induced renal growth has not been fully clarified.

Methods: To elucidate a possible direct role for GH in HP-induced renal growth, we examined the effect of a newly developed specific GH-receptor (GHR) antagonist (B2036-PEG) on renal growth and renal GH/IGF-system expression in HP-fed mice.