Correlation between human hepatocyte growth factor and interleukin-6 concentrations after surgery

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The aim of this study was to determine whether the product ion of human hepatocyte growth factor (hHGF) occurs in injured tissue follo wing surgery in conjunction with interleukin-6 (IL-6) synthesis, and indepe ndently of liver resection. METHODOLOGY: The post-operative concentrations of hHGF and IL-6 in the seru m and local exudative fluid were measured in 33 patients following abdomina l (n=20) or thoracic surgery (n=13) (non-HTX), and in 7 undergoing a partia l hepatectomy (HTX). RESULTS: Concentrations of two cytokines in the fluid were much higher than those in the serum (p<0.001) in all patients. The maximum serum levels of hHGF were significantly correlated with those of IL-6 (p<0.05), intra-opera tive blood loss (p<0.005), and operating time (p<0.005) in patients undergo ing non-HTX. In these patients, the fluid levels of hHGF were also signific antly correlated with those of IL-6 (p<0.001)), In serum and fluid, the hHG F/IL-6 ratios were markedly higher after HTX than after non-HTX (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggests that hHGF may be produced in conjunctio n with IL-6 in injured tissue following surgery, but the production of hHGF may predominate over that of IL-6 in the liver following partial hepatecto my.