Brief Article
Copyright ©2012 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Jul 7, 2012; 18(25): 3288-3295
Published online Jul 7, 2012. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v18.i25.3288
Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids promote liver regeneration after 90% hepatectomy in rats
Yu-Dong Qiu, Sheng Wang, Yue Yang, Xiao-Peng Yan
Yu-Dong Qiu, Sheng Wang, Yue Yang, Xiao-Peng Yan, Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital, Medical College of Nanjing University, Jiangsu Province’s Key Medical Center for Hepatobiliary Disease, Nanjing 210008, Jiangsu Province, China
Author contributions: Qiu YD and Wang S designed the research; Wang S and Yang Y performed the research; Yan XP analyzed the data; and Qiu YD and Yang Y wrote the paper.
Supported by The China National Key S and T Projects for Major Infectious Diseases, No. 2008ZX10002-26
Correspondence to: Yu-Dong Qiu, MD, Chief Physician, Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital, Medical College of Nanjing University, Jiangsu Province’s Key Medical Center for Hepatobiliary Disease, No. 321 Zhongshan Road, Nanjing 210008, Jiangsu Province, China. yudongqiu510@163.com
Telephone: +86-25-83106666 Fax: +86-25-83317016
Received: October 5, 2011
Revised: January 12, 2012
Accepted: April 10, 2012
Published online: July 7, 2012
Abstract

AIM: To evaluate the effectiveness of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (ω-3 PUFA) administration on liver regeneration after 90% partial hepatectomy (PH) in rats.

METHODS: ω-3 PUFAs were intravenously injected in the ω-3 PUFA group before PH surgery. PH, sparing only the caudate lobe, was performed in both the control and the ω-3 PUFA group. Survival rates, liver weight/body weight ratios, liver weights, HE staining, transmission electron microscope imaging, nuclear-associated antigen Ki-67, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and signal transduction were evaluated to analyze liver regeneration.

RESULTS: All rats in the control group died within 30 h after hepatectomy. Survival rates in the ω-3 PUFA group were 20/20 at 30 h and 4/20 1 wk after PH. Liver weight/body weight ratios and liver weights increased significantly in the ω-3 PUFA group. The structure of sinusoidal endothelial cells and space of Disse was greatly restored in the ω-3 PUFA group compared to the control group after PH. In the ω-3 PUFA group, interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-10 levels were significantly increased whereas IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α levels were dramatically decreased. In addition, activation of protein kinase B (Akt) and of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 signaling pathway were identified at an earlier time after PH in the ω-3 PUFA group.

CONCLUSION: Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids may prevent acute liver failure and promote liver regeneration after 90% hepatectomy in rats.

Keywords: Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids; Survival rate; Inflammatory cytokines; Signaling pathways