Depressed cytotoxic activity of hepatic nonparenchymal cells in rats with obstructive jaundice

Background. The nonparenchymal cells (NPC) of the liver have strong cytotox ic activity. Our hypothesis is that their activity may be imparted by obstr uctive jaundice and show recovery after biliary drainage. Methods. In Donryu rats, we performed either a sham operation (group C; n = 5), production of irreversible obstructive jaundice (group J; n = 5), or p roduction of reversible obstructive jaundice for 7 days, with biliary drain age then provided for 3 days (group Ds; n = 5) or for 14 days (group Dl; n = 5). Natural killer (NK)-cell activities shown against YAC-1 lymphoma cell s of hepatic NPC and peripheral blood mononuclear cells were assessed. We t hen measured the growth of experimental liver metastases 13 days after inoc ulation of a tumor cell line (AH130) into the portal vein of rats that had undergone similar biliary manipulations (group mC, group mJ, group mDs, and group mDl; n = 5 in each group). Results, The highest number of NK activities by NPC in group J (11.5%) and group Ds (37.7%) were significantly bower than those in group C (68.8 %) an d group Dl (90.5 %; effector/target ratios, 40:1; P < .01). NK activity of peripheral blood mononuclear cells was similar among groups. Metastatic liv er tumors in group mJ (10.2 % +/- 2.6 %) and group, mDs (5.4 % +/- 1.5 %) w ere significantly larger than in group mC (0.4 % +/- 0.1 %) and group mDl ( 0.5 % +/- 0.3 %; P < .02). Conclusions. Obstructive jaundice depressed the NK activity of hepatic NPC and enhanced the growth of liver metastases. To counter this depression, ad equate biliary drainage was required. These results suggest that preoperati ve biliary drainage to relieve obstructive jaundice might help to prevent l iver metastases after surgery for biliary tract or pancreatic tumors.