Hepatocyte and Kupffer cell function after liver transplantation in the rat--in vivo evaluation with dynamic scintigraphy.

In vivo physiological measurements of hepatocyte and Kupffer cell function after liver transplantation are desirable. Orthotopic liver transplantation was performed in 54 rats. Hepatocyte and Kupffer cell function were measured with dynamic liver scintigraphy. Hepatic clearance of 99mTc-Nanocoll (%/min), an albumin colloid phagocytosed by the Kupffer cells, was used to evaluate Kupffer cell function. Hepatic clearance of 99mTc-IODIDA (%/min), an imino-diacetic-acid taken up and secreted by the hepatocytes, was used to evaluate the hepatocyte function. Hepatic clearance in control rats was 27 +/- 2%/min for Nanocoll and 30 +/- 3 %/min for IODIDA. After syngenic liver transplantation, without rejection, there was a rise in Nanocoll clearance (34 +/- 2 %/min p < 0.01) after 3 weeks, but no change in IODIDA clearance (32 +/- 3 %/min N.S.). After syngenic liver transplantation with preservation time prolonged to 16 h, there were no changes in IODIDA or Nanocoll clearance 1 day after transplantation. Both IODIDA (11 +/- 2 %/min) and Nanocoll clearance (22 +/- 2 %/min) were decreased (p < 0.001) during rejection after allogenic transplantation. An in vivo method of measuring the hepatocyte and Kupffer cell function in the transplanted liver is described. Kupffer cell function was increased after syngenic liver transplantation. Kupffer cell and hepatocyte function were decreased during rejection. Dynamic liver scintigraphy seems a suitable procedure for examining liver injury after liver transplantation in the experimental setting.