Evaluation of the role of sympathetic denervation on hepatic function

It is acknowledged that autonomic nerves play an important role on liver function. Sympathetic nerve is the main component of them. This study is to evaluate the effects of sympathetic denervation of the liver on liver function in the normal and chemically injured liver, and its influence on liver regeneration. Eighty healthy male Wistar rats were divided randomly into four groups: Sham group, carbon tetrachloride group (CCL4), 6-hydroxydopamine group (6-OHDA), and CCL4 + 6-OHDA group. Chemical denervation model was made by injection of 6-OHDA (2 ml, 100 mg/l) through the mesenteric vein of jejunum loop. Acute liver injury model was established by using CCL4. Blood chemistry, ATP, arterial ketone body ratio (AKBR) and indocyanine green (ICG15) were measured in each group after administration of sympathetic denervation or/and acute liver injury. Liver regeneration was assessed with hepatic mass index (HMI), rate of liver regeneration (RLR), mitotic index (MI) and the rates of DNA synthesis under sympathetic denervation. Chemical denervation resulted in significant changes of liver function tests under acute liver injury, and had beneficial effects on protein anabolism, metabolism of bilirubin and energy, and ICG excretion, meanwhile, alleviated low potassium in serum. However, sympathetic denervation only had no effects on liver function tests. It decreased significantly in sympathetic denervation group for HMI, RLR, MI and the rate of DNA synthesis with 3H-TdR (P < 0.01). It is concluded that sympathetic denervation can alleviate liver injury by CCL4, impair liver regeneration, but has no effects on liver function tests under normal.