[A study of regenerating liver protects against carbon tetrachloride injury in rat]

In our previous study we had demonstrated that regenerating liver of rats had an ability to resist CCl4 injury. In this paper, the underlying mechanism was further investigated. Hepatic stimulator substance from regenerating liver (rHSS) at different time after partial (68%) hepatectomy was extracted and assayed for its biological activity by using 3H-thymidine. The activity is approximately seven-fold as compared with the control. Then, rHSS was given to rats to observe its effect against CCl4 injury both in vivo and in vitro. The results were as follows: rHSS decreases the mortality of CCl4 intoxicated rats and suppresses the elevation of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) induced by CCl4 in vivo. Also rHSS increases the cell viability and decreases the leakage of intracellular ALT of hepatocytes poisoning by CCl4. The above mentioned results suggest rHSS is an important mechanism for regenerating liver to protect against CCl4 poisoning.