THE ANTIPROLIFERATIVE EFFECT OF PLASMA FROM RATS WITH ACUTE FULMINANTHEPATIC-FAILURE

Background: During fulminant hepatic failure (FHF) metabolites normall y cleared by the liver accumulate in the circulation and cause hepatic coma. It is believed that the plasma of FHF patients has an inhibitor y effect on liver regeneration. Plasma exchange was used to study the effect of plasma collected from donor FHF rats on liver regeneration i n two-thirds partially hepatectomized syngeneic animals. Methods: FHF and hepatic coma were induced in donors by administration of galactosa mine at a dose of 1.85 g/kg. Plasma from donors in either grade-II or -IV coma was transfused by plasma exchange into partially hepatectomiz ed animals 2 h after resection. Results: The livers from donor animals showed evidence of oval cell activation 1-2 days after galactosamine, but differentiation of oval cells to hepatocytes did not occur before the development of coma. The plasma collected from animals in grade-I V coma totally abolished regeneration in the partially hepatectomized recipients. Conclusion: These results support the hypothesis that meta bolites present in the plasma during FHF inhibit liver regeneration.