Role of tumor necrosis factor-alpha on hepatic regeneration after partial hepatectomy in adult male albino rats

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of TNF- alpha on liver regeneration after seventy percent partial hepatectomy of male rats. Rats were divided into three groups control, untreated partially hepatectomised group and Pentoxifylline [a drug which blocks TNF-alpha] treated hepatectomised group. Each group had thirteen rats. Rats were killed on the 1[st], 3[rd], 5[th] and 7[th] days posthepatectomy. The removed part of the liver was weighed to detect the increase of the total liver weight on the previous days. A sample of the liver was taken for histological and immunohistochemical studies. The weight of liver in the untreated group showed gradual increase up to more than ninety nine per cent of the original liver weight on the7[th] day posthepatectomy. In the treated group, it reached only fifty five per cent of the original liver weight on the 7[th] day posthepatectomy. Mitotic activity in the untreated group was sharply increased on the 1[st] day then gradually decreased and disappeared on the 7[th] day. Treated group showed a decreasing in mitotic activity from the1[st] day and disappearing on the 3[rd] day. Immunohistochemical studies in untreated group showed intense cytoplasmic overexpression for TNF- alpha on the 1[st] and the 3[rd] days, moderate overexpression on the 5[th] day and mild overexpression on the 7[th] day. Treated group showed mild overexpression on the 1[st] day and no expression on other day posthepatectomy. The study demonstrated that TNF- alpha promoted the regenerative changes that occur in the liver after partial hepatectomy