Enhancement of liver size by stimulation of intact rat liver with exogenous hepatotrophic factors

Abstract

In mammals, liver size is related to animal body weight at the 2.5 to 3% proportion, a ratio mediated by the afflux of hepatotrophic factors. Formulas capable of modifying this ratio have been developed in previous studies on the rat, with enhancement of liver size brought about by intraperitoneal (portal) infusion of exogenous factors such as glucose, amino acids, insulin, glucagon, vitamins, electrolytes, and triiodothyronine. However, the efficacy of these formulations was accompanied by increased animal mortality (PARRA et al.). The present study, which was carried out with small methodological modifications on a larger number of rats using daily intraperitoneal injections of a solution of exogenous hepatotrophic factors (40 ml/kg) for seven days, confirms the previous findings, with a 114.16 +/- 7.90% enhancement of liver size beyond the expected value for the body weight of the animal. However, the problem of animal mortality was not fully resolved.

Modulation of extracellular matrix by nutritional hepatotrophic factors in thioacetamide-induced liver cirrhosis in the rat

“…The concomitant increase in the liver weight and LC index supports this theory. In normal rats it was shown that HF promoted a 45% increase in the hepatic mass (4). The values of liver mass, volume and LC index of the control group were lower than those of the PS group (cirrhotic not treated).…”

“…The HF-treated rats showed partial restoration of the hepatic parenchyma: the lobular architecture was closer to that found in healthy animals, with an easier identification of the portal vessels and centrolobular veins. Although the effect of some components of the HF solution has been previously studied (2)(3)(4)(5), the amino acids and other nutritional components seem to act synergistically, providing the additional material and stimulus necessary to the rebuilding of the liver architecture disturbed by the cirrhotic process (6).…”

“…In fact, liver proliferation can be modulated by dietary factors that interfere with hepatic regeneration. Studies dealing with nutritional modulation of hepatic regeneration and growth by stimulation of hepatocyte proliferation with hepatotrophic factors (HF) found in food have been published (2)(3)(4)(5)(6). Hepatic mass and DNA increase associated with reduction of the fibrotic fraction in the extracellular matrix was observed after 10 days of intraperitoneal treatment with HF in normal rats.…”

“…The intraperitoneal route may have contributed to liver mass increase and collagen reduction since this route is functionally very close to a portal administration. HF usually consist of vitamins, salts, amino acids, and hormones (triiodothyronine, insulin and glucagon) (4). Due to previous results obtained for normal liver, we applied HF treatment to cirrhotic livers to investigate if this solution would be effective in reducing the cirrhotic condition and to identify some of the mechanisms of its effect.…”

Parenteral Solution of Nutritional Hepatotrophic Factors Improves Regeneration in Thioacetamide-induced Cirrhotic Livers after Partial Hepatectomy

“…In fact, it has been demonstrated that the in vivo administration of NHF has a strong ability to accelerate and augment cellular proliferation as well as the growth of normal (Parra et al 1994(Parra et al , 1995, fibrotic (Cogliati et al 2010), and cirrhotic (Guerra et al 2009) liver tissues. Moreover, in fibrotic or cirrhotic livers, NHF treatment causes a reduction in the amount of tissue collagen and an improvement in the liver morphology and function (Cogliati et al 2010;Guerra et al 2009;Parra et al 1996).…”