The promotion of liver regeneration in mice after a partial hepatectomy as a result of the modulation of macrophage activation by dexmedetomidine

This study investigates the effect of dexmedetomidine (DEX), a highly selective agonist of alpha 2-adrenergic receptors (α2-ARs), on the regulation of hepatic macrophage activation in liver regeneration. A two-thirds partial hepatectomy (PHx) mouse model was performed. DEX (25 μg/kg) or a vehicle control (saline) was injected i.p. at 30 min before and every 12 h after PHx. The expression of α2B-ARs in the liver was detected using immunofluorescence staining. The effects of DEX on liver regeneration were assessed by Ki67 staining. The gene expression of inflammatory cytokines in isolated hepatic macrophages was quantified 36 h after the PHx. α2B-ARs colocalized with hepatic macrophages after the PHx. The number of Ki67-positive hepatocytes in the mice treated with DEX was markedly increased (p