Losartan supports liver regrowth via distinct boost of portal vein pressure in rodents with 90 % portal branch ligation.

OBJECTIVES

The study used a model of 90 % portal branch ligation (PBL) in rats to study the effect of losartan on portal vein pressure (PVP) and liver regeneration in rats after PBL.

METHODS

A total of 144 male Sprague-Dawley rats were arbitrarily designated into three treatment method groups: a sham operation group (Sham), a PBL treatment group (PBL), and a PBL plus losartan treatment group (PBL + L). Losartan (2 mg/day) was intragastrically gavaged 3 days before the PBL or sham operation to time points of study.

RESULTS

Both the PBL and PBL + L groups showed an intense surge in PVP after PBL treatment, peaking at 12 h postsurgery, then lessening progressively afterwards. PVP was substantially greater in these two groups compared with the Sham group at 6-72 h postsurgery (p < 0.01). Compared with the PBL group, the PBL + L group showed a noticeable reduction in PVP 6-48 h postsurgery (p < 0.05); the PBL group showed considerably raised levels of plasma ALT and AST 6-72 h postsurgery (p < 0.01). Compared to the PBL group, the PBL + L group showed drastically reduced plasma ALT and AST levels 12-72 h postsurgery (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Losartan supports liver regeneration in 90 % of rats that underwent PBL. The mechanism may be related to losartan's ability to regulate PVP and increase serum hepatocyte growth factor levels.