Effects of Homologous Plasma Cross-Circulation on Liver Function in Galactosamine-Induced Hepatic Necrosis in Rats

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Abstract
Plasma cross-circulation that resembles clinical plasma exchange was carried out in rats with galactosamine (GalN)-treated hepatic failure to investigate its effect on the damaged liver function. Twenty-four hours after the injection of GalN, plasma cross-circulation was performed at a plasma flow rate of 0.2 ml/min for 6 h. At 48 h after the injection of GalN, survival was obtained in 6 of 8 GalN-injected rats treated with plasma cross-circulation as compared with 4 of 10 GalN-injected rats treated with sham circulation. State 3 O2 comnsumption and ATP synthesis (mitochondrial respiratory function) and ATP, ADP and total adenine nucleotide contents in the liver were significantly higher in the former group than in the latter group at that period, as determined by sacrificing the surviving animals. Although the survival rate was not significantly improved, evidence suggests that plasma cross-circulation enhanced mitochondrial phosphorylative activity and produced an augmented high-energy state of the liver, which had been markedly reduced by GalN administration. An efficient removal of toxic metabolites as well as an influx of a large amount of fresh plasma by plasma cross-circulation would be beneficial for the regenerative process of the necrosing liver tissues.