Carnitine contents in remnant liver, kidney, and skeletal muscle after partial hepatectomy in rats: randomized trial.

Carnitine, an important carrier of free fatty acid that is transported into mitochondria for beta-oxidation, was thought to be one of the key factors in the regulation of liver regeneration. If the carnitine content is insufficient in the hepatocyte, it might impair the energy substrate's transport and the energy charge required for cell regeneration. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the changes of carnitine content in remnant liver, kidney, and skeletal muscle simultaneously after partial hepatectomy in rats. Partial hepatectomy with resection of the median and left lateral lobes was performed on male Wistar rats. Rats with a sham operation comprised a control group. This study was an experimental randomized trial. Ten rats from each group were sacrificed before the operation and at 6, 24, 48, and 72 hours after the operation. The carnitine content, as total and free forms, in remnant liver, kidney, and skeletal muscle were quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography. The carnitine contents in the remnant liver increased significantly at 6, 24, and 48 hours after partial hepatectomy (p < 0.01). The increase of total carnitine content was more obvious than that of the free form. In contrast, the decreasing concentrations of total carnitine and free carnitine in the kidney were significant (p < 0.01). In skeletal muscle the total carnitine content decreased to a small extent, and it was observed only at 6 hours after partial hepatectomy (p < 0.05). It is suggested that remnant liver promoted the generation of carnitine, whereas kidney and skeletal muscle released their stored carnitine at an early stage after partial hepatectomy. As a result, the influx of the carnitine into hepatocytes increased at the regenerative stage. The carnitine content of remnant liver is sufficient during the early posthepatectomy stage.