Effects of different nutrition methods on the number and activity of natural killer cells in liver after hepatectomy in cirrhotic rats / 中华临床营养杂志

ABSTRACT

ObjectiveTo explore the effects of different nutrition methods on the number and activity of natural killer (NK) cells in liver after hepatectomy in cirrhotic rats. MethodsTwenty thioacetamide-induced cirrhotic rats were randomly divided into enteral nutrition (EN) group ( n =10) and parenteral nutrition (PN) group ( n =10), in which EN or PN was administered for 5 consecutive days 1 day after hepatectomy. The percentage of the NK cells in livers was examined by flow cytometry. Activity of NK cells was measured by 4 h51Cr-release assay.ResultsCompared with the PN group, the percentage (22.2 ％ ± 1.7％ vs. 17.4％ ± 1.8％, P =0.000) and the activity of NK cells (41.6％ ± 2.3％ vs. 37.1％ ± 2.2％, P =0.000) in the livers were significantly higher in the EN group. ConclusionEN after posthepatectomy can ameliorate the percentage and the activity of NK cells in the livers in cirrhotic rats.