Effects of fatty acids on liver regeneration in rats.

OBJECTIVE To study the effects of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) omega-3 and omega-6 in the oxidative stress and in liver regeneration in rats subjected to 70% partial hepatectomy (PH, 70% hepatectomy, Higgins-Anderson partial hepatectomy). METHODS 72 young male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four equal-sized groups: control (G1), partially hepatectomized (G2), partially hepatectomized with two weeks daily intraperitoneal infusion of omega-3 (G3) and partially hepatectomized with two weeks daily intraperitoneal infusion of omega-6 (G4). In moments 36 h (T1), 168 h (T2) and 336 h (T3) post-PH, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and reduced glutathione (GSH) were measured in plasma and liver tissue, while glucose and total bilirubin were measured in blood. The mass of the residual liver in the same moments was the parameter used to estimate the evolution of liver regeneration. RESULTS omega-3 PUFA inhibited liver regeneration and induced reduction of hepatic GSH concentration seven days post-PH. Omega-6 PUFA, in contrast, showed no inhibitory effect on regeneration. There was an increase of lipid peroxidation both in blood and liver with administration of omega-6. CONCLUSION Omega-3 PUFA retarded post-PH liver regeneration, probably through inhibition of oxidative stress. Omega-6 PUFA increased TBARS concentrations in blood and liver but did not alter the evolution of the liver regenerative process.