The Relationship Between Lymphangiogenesis and Liver Regeneration After Partial Hepatectomy in Cholestatic Mice

The mechanisms of lymphangiogenesis in the cholestatic liver after partial hepatectomy (PH) remain unclear. We aimed to demonstrate the relationship between lymphangiogenesis and liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy in the cholestatic liver. C57BL/6 mice were subjected to 70% partial hepatectomy only (PH group, = 20) and 70% partial hepatectomy with temporary common bile duct (BD) obstruction by clipping (BD+PH group, = 20). Five mice per group were sacrificed at 1, 3, 5, and 7 days after the procedure. The liver function was examined by blood tests, and the liver regeneration rate was assessed by body weight and liver weight. Immunohistochemical staining of lymphatic vessel endothelial hyaluronan receptor-1 (LYVE-1) showed liver lymphangiogenesis. The gene expression of lymphangiogenesis-associated factors (e.g., vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-3 [VEGFR-3]) was examined by a real-time polymerase chain reaction. The liver function in the BD+PH group was worse than that in the PH group on postoperative day 1 (POD1) (aspartate aminotransferase: 6528 ± 1641 U/L vs. 2741 ± 368 U/L,