Modification of T-lymphocyte subsets in peripheral blood, the liver, and the spleen during liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy of mice.

Flow cytometry analysis was performed to investigate the modifications to the T lymphocytes in peripheral blood, the spleen, and two intrahepatic lymphocyte fractions--the intrahepatic lymphocyte fraction 1 (IHL Fr.1), which is easily washed out from the liver by perfusion of collagenase solution, and the intrahepatic lymphocyte fraction 2 (IHL Fr.2), which remains in the liver after the perfusion--occurring in the liver regeneration process after partial hepatectomy of mice. The following findings were obtained: 1) The nontreated murine liver contains Thy 1.2+ cells, alpha beta TCR+ cells, gamma delta TCR+ cells, CD4+ cells, and CD8+ cells. 2) The percentage of each T-cell subset in IHL Fr.1 shows an intermediate value between that in the peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) and that in the IHL Fr.2. 3) One day after partial hepatectomy, the Thy 1.2+ cells, alpha beta TCR+ whole cells, and CD4+ cells in IHL Fr.2 all showed a transient, yet significant, decrease, but did not reveal any major change in the other fractions. 4) Both the alpha beta TCR dull+ cells and the CD8+ cells showed practically no change after partial hepatectomy in any of the fractions. This indicates that the alpha beta TCR dull+ cell/alpha beta TCR+ whole cell and the CD8+ cell/CD4+ cell ratios show a significant increase 1 day after partial hepatectomy only in the IHL Fr.2. Double-positive cells, which were scarcely found in the spleen of nontreated mice, appeared in the spleen after partial hepatectomy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)