Splenectomy affects the balance between hepatic growth factor and transforming growth factor-β and its effect on liver regeneration is dependent on the amount of liver resection in rats

PURPOSE Small-for-size syndrome (SFSS) is a major problem in liver surgery, and splenectomy has been used to prevent SFSS. However, it is unknown whether splenectomy has the same effect on liver regeneration in both standard and marginal hepatectomy. The aim of this study is to see a difference in effect of splenectomy on liver regeneration according to the amount of liver resection. METHODS Thirty male Sprague-Dawley rats (220 to 260 g) were divided into the following five groups: control (n = 6), 70% hepatectomy (n = 6), 70% hepatectomy with splenectomy (n = 6), 90% hepatectomy (n = 6), and 90% hepatectomy with splenectomy (n = 6). The animals were euthanized 24 hours after surgery and liver specimens were obtained. To assess liver regeneration, we performed immunohistochemistry of liver tissue using 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine (BrdU) labeling and Western blot analysis of hepatic growth factor (HGF) and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) in the liver tissue. RESULTS The splenectomized subgroup had a higher BrdU-positive cell count in the 90% hepatectomy group, but not in the 70% hepatectomy group (P < 0.001). Splenectomy significantly decreased TGF-β expression (P = 0.005) and increased the HGF to TGF-β ratio (P = 0.002) in the 90% hepatectomy group, but not in the 70% hepatectomy group. CONCLUSION The positive effect of splenectomy on liver regeneration was greater in the group with the larger liver resection. This phenomenon may be related to the relative balance between HGF and TGF-β in the liver.