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Updated: May 2, 2026
Bile Duct Ligation in Mice: Induction of Inflammatory Liver Injury and Fibrosis by Obstructive Cholestasis
Published on: February 10, 2015
[Ursodeoxycholic acid promotes liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy in bile duct obstructive rats]
Mingqing Xu1, Benli Han, Lan Xue
1Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Southwestern Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China.
Objective:
To investigate the effect of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) on liver regeneration after 70% partial hepatectomy (PH) in bile duct obstructive (BDO) rats.
Methods:
Wistar rats were randomly divided into N-PH group in which normal rats were operated with 70% PH, BDO-PH group in which 70% PH were operated after two week's BDO, and BDO-PH UDCA or sterile saline treatment group in which UDCA (15mg kg(-1) d(-1)) or saline was administrated during BDO and after 70% PH. The hepatic pathological changes were observed. BrdU labeling of hepatocytes, the mRNA expression of intrahepatic hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and its receptor (Met gene) after 70% PH were measured by immunohistochemical analysis and RT-PCR, respectively.
Results:
Improvements of hepatic function and pathological changes were induced by UDCA administration after BDO. The expression of hepatic HGF/Met mRNA after 70% PH in BDO-PH UDCA treatment group rats was significantly increased compared with N-PH group rats (P<0.05), BrdU peak labelling of hepatocytes (59.39% +/- 10.82%) in BDO-PH UDCA treatment group rats was significantly higher than that (36.22% +/- 8.37%) in BDO-PH group rats (t=4.149, P<0.01) and without significance compared with N-PH group rats (68.64% +/- 11.26%, t=1.451, P >0.05).
Conclusions:
UDCA promotes liver regeneration after 70% PH in BDO rats by remission of hepatic pathological changes and elevating hepatic mRNA expression of HGF and Met.
