Background: Different approaches to study liver regeneration in murine models have been proposed. We investigated the effect of different liver resection models on liver damage and regeneration parameters in mice.
Methods:We compared the technical aspect of the 2 most commonly used techniques of 50% and 70% liver resection. Liver damage, as determined by the change in serum alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase, as well as the regeneration parameters VEGF and FGF-2 were analyzed at 6 time points. A postoperative vitality score was introduced.Results: Cholestasis was not observed for either technique. Both resection techniques resulted in full weight recovery of the liver after 240 hours, with no significant difference between sham and resection groups. Postoperative animal morbidity and total protein levels did not differ significantly for either method, indicating early and full functional recovery. However, comparing the mitogenic growth factors FGF-2 and VEGF, a significant increase in serum levels and, therefore, increased growth stimulus, was shown in the extended resection group.
Conclusion:Extended resection led to a greater response in growth factor expression. This finding is important since it shows that growth factor response differs acdording to the extent of resection. We have demonstrated the need to standardize murine hepatic resection models to adequately compare the resulting liver damage.Contexte : Différentes approches ont été proposées pour étudier la régénérescence du foie dans des modÚles murins. Nous avons exploré l'effet de divers modÚles de résection sur l'atteinte hépatique et les paramÚtres de la régénérescence chez la souris.
Méthodes :Nous avons comparé l'aspect technique des 2 approches les plus couramment utilisées, soit les résections de 50 % et de 70 % du foie. L'atteinte hépatique, déter-minée en fonction de la modification des taux d'alanine aminotransférase et d'aspartate aminotransférase sériques, ainsi que les paramÚtres de régénérescence VEGF (facteur de croissance endothéliale vasculaire) et FGF-2 (facteur de croissance des fibroblastes) ont été analysés à 6 moments. Un score de vitalité postopératoire a en outre été introduit.