Effect of endotoxin on rat liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy.

Lipopolysaccharide administered intraperitoneally to rats just after partial (70%) hepatectomy at the dose from 0.04 to 4 mg/kg body weight inhibited the induction of thymidylate synthase and thymidine kinase which are rate-determining enzymes of DNA synthesis, resulting in the impairment of DNA synthesis in the regenerating liver. This effect may be due to the hepato-toxic nature of endotoxin.