The effects of renal dysfunction on liver regeneration capacity have not been fully elucidated before, although many patients with
renal failure are subjected to
hepatectomy due to
hepatobiliary diseases. In this study, we sought to determine the effects of renal dysfunction on the hepatic regeneration capacity using rat
chronic renal failure model. After establishing
chronic renal failure (CRF group) by semi-total renal resection, the rats were subjected to 70% partial
hepatectomy (PHx). Rats without
renal failure were used as control (
Sham group). The hepatic regeneration rate, histology of the liver, clearance of
indocyanine green into the bile, and the expression of hepatic regeneration-associated genes in the liver were evaluated. The hepatic regeneration rate was lower in CRF group as compared to
Sham group on day 1 after PHx. Mitotic index evaluated by histologic examination on day 1 after PHx was also significantly lower in CRF group. However, no difference in these indices was observed on day 2 and 7 between
Sham and CRF.
Indocyanine green clearance rate was almost identical between
Sham and CRF on day 7 following PHx. The baseline expressions of the hepatic regeneration-associated genes, such as
IL-6,
TNF-alpha, HGF, c-fos, and c-jun, in the liver of CRF were significantly lower than those of
Sham. However, the rate of upregulation of these genes was not significantly different between
Sham and CRF. These results clearly demonstrate that the renal dysfunction, although initially delays the onset, does not suppress the total hepatic regeneration capacity following partial
hepatectomy. The function of the regenerated liver on day 7 after PHx also was not different. Our results provide a possibility that the
hepatectomy can be indicated even for the patient with a
chronic renal failure.