Involvement of tumor necrosis factor-alpha receptor 1 and tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand-(TRAIL) receptor-2/DR-5, but not Fas, in graft injury in live-donor liver transplantation.

The pathway leading to cell death in clinical liver transplantation is not known. Eight liver transplant recipients and eight donors were enrolled in this study. Postoperative serum levels of alanine transferase had significantly increased in the recipients compared with those in the donors.

Near-infrared spectroscopic analysis of hepatic hemodynamics and oxygen metabolism after extensive hepatectomy.

Background: Although major or extended hepatectomy may result in drastic alterations in the hemodynamics and oxygen metabolism of the residual livers, this issue remains to be elucidated in detail.

Material/methods: In this study, in vivo near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRs) was performed to determine oxy-/deoxy-hemoglobin (Hb) and oxidized/reduced cytochrome oxidase (Cyt.aa3) contents in hepatic tissues in a rat 70% hepatectomy model.

Differential diagnosis between graft-versus-host disease and hemophagocytic syndrome after living-related liver transplantation by mixed lymphocyte reaction assay.

Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) after liver transplantation is uncommon but is a serious complication that can be fatal. Hemophagocytic syndrome (HPS), which is caused by activation of autologous T lymphocytes, is also a serious complication that can occur after liver transplantation. Because these complications share the clinical triad of skin rash, marrow failure, and diarrhea, differential diagnosis is difficult.

Intraoperative near-infrared spectroscopy for evaluating hepatic venous outflow in living-donor right lobe liver.

Background: This study was performed to determine the usefulness of intraoperative near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) for evaluating the extent of congestion in the anterior segment of the graft after living-donor liver transplantation using right lobe grafts that do not have the middle hepatic vein.

Methods: Fifteen patients undergoing living-donor liver transplantation using a right lobe graft without the middle hepatic vein were enrolled in this study. During the course of harvesting and implantation, in vivo NIRS was performed on the liver grafts to determine hemoglobin (Hb) and cytochrome oxidase content in the hepatic tissues.

Hepatocyte growth factor prevents chronic allograft dysfunction in liver-transplanted rats.

Background: Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is a growth factor with multiple biologic properties, including mitogenic, morphogenic, anti-apoptotic, and antifibrogenic activities. Long-term administration of the deletion variant of HGF (dHGF) might contribute to the prevention of chronic liver allograft dysfunction, which is attributed to immunologic and nonimmunologic reactions.

Methods: Low-dose tacrolimus was administered to rat-liver recipients after transplantation.

Prevention of ischemia-reperfusion-induced hepatic microcirculatory disruption by inhibiting stellate cell contraction using rock inhibitor.

Background: We demonstrated that hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) isolated from rat livers exposed to warm ischemia are significantly contractile when compared with HSCs from intact rat livers. This suggests that ischemia-reperfusion (IR)-induced impairment of sinusoidal microcirculation results, at least in part, from contraction of HSCs.

Methods: Rho-associated coiled-coil forming protein serine/threonine kinase (ROCK) is one of the key regulators of HSCs motility.

ROCK inhibitor Y-27632 prevents primary graft non-function caused by warm ischemia/reperfusion in rat liver transplantation.

Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) can easily be activated by ischemia/reperfusion, and this activation results in hepatic microcirculatory disturbance by cell contraction. ROCK is one of the key regulators of the motility of HSCs, and Y-27632 suppresses the activation of HSCs. We examined whether Y-27632 treatment prevents primary graft non-function caused by 45-min warm ischemia in orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT).