Immunosafety evaluation of a multilayer flat-plate bioartificial liver.

INTRODUCTION

To study and evaluate the immunosafety of our newly developed multilayer flat-plate bioartificial liver (BAL) in treatment of canines with acute liver failure.

METHODS

Fresh porcine hepatocytes and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells were cocultured in new BAL. Ten canine models with acute liver failure were set up through D-galactosamine administration; 24 hours after administration, the beagles were randomly allocated to a 6-hour treatment with the BAL. The beagles were divided into 2 groups by treatment times. Group 1 beagles (n = 5) received a single BAL treatment. Group 2 beagles (n = 5) received 3 BAL treatments. The hemodynamic, hematologic response and humoral immune responses to BAL therapy were studied before and after treatments.

RESULTS

All beagles remained hemodynamically and hematologically stable during BAL treatments. The levels of IgG and IgM were similar before and after treatment after a single treatment. In addition, the level of CH50 in group 1 slightly decreased after the initiation of BAL treatment, and then the level recovered to baseline quickly after treatments. Time-course changes of the levels of antibodies and CH50 after 3 treatments in group 2 were similar to group 1. Only trace levels of IgG were detected in BAL medium after treatments.

CONCLUSION

The multilayer flat-plate BAL showed a great immunosafety in the treatment of canines with acute liver failure and exhibited a good prospect of its use in clinic.