The role of IL-6 during the late phase of liver regeneration.

BACKGROUND

The storage of organs for liver transplantation has resulted in expanding the donor pool for the "living-related" organ donors. Hence, understanding the factors that moderate liver regeneration, both in donor and recipient, is of great importance. Liver regeneration is accompanied by an appearance of cytokines, growth factors and hormones which enable hepatocytes acquiring the ability to reenter the cell cycle. Within few hours after partial hepatectomy (PH) increase concentration of a large number of mitogens for hepatocytes. Among them essential function in recovering after PH plays interleukin 6 (IL-6). However the gene expression of this factor after the reconstruction of the liver is completed is still uncertain. We have assessed the gene expression of IL-6 during liver regeneration in tissue of regenerating liver in tenth day after PH.

MATERIAL/

METHODS

Materials for the research were obtained from 12 rats. PH surgeries were performed on 7 rats (study group), on the 5 left laparotomy was performed (control group). In the tenth day after surgery on whole 12 animals hepatectomy was performed. RNA was isolated from tissues and then copied to cDNA. Using real-time polymerase chain reaction (real-time PCR) the gene expression of IL-6 was defined. The Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon Test was performed for the statistic analysis. The p<0,05 was considered as statistically significant.

RESULTS

mRNA transcripts for IL-6 in study group compared to control group were 6-fold elevated 10 days following PH (p=0,03).

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicate that IL-6 plays a pivotal role in liver regeneration. Elevated level of mRNA transcripts for IL-6 is sustained even after the operation and rebuild of the organ size.