Role of Cytokines in Hepatic Response to Injury

Hideaki Saito, Ryoji Fukushima, Yojiro Hashiguchi, Toshiyuki Sumida, Tetsuichiro Muto

Department of Surgery, University of Tokyo

We investigated the participation of cytokines in the hepatic response to injury. The animal study examined the effects of IL-l and TNF on the carbohydrate and protein metabolism of the liver in chronically catheterized awake dogs. Both IL-1 and TNF enhanced the output of glucose and the uptake of alanine and lactabe by the liver. IL-l also increased the hepatic output of C reactive protein (CRP). The clinical study examined the relationship between plasma levels of IL-6 and CRP in patients undergoing various operations. There was a positive correlation between plasma levels of IL-6 on postopersitive day 0 and levels of CRP on postoperative day 1 in patients without cirrhosis. However, there was a negative correlation between these two parameters in patients with cirrhosis. These results suggest that cytokines are mediators that orchastrate the hepatic response to injury and that the cytokine-mediated metabolic response depends on the function of the target organ.

Key words
metabolic response to injury, cytokine, liver metabolism

Reprint requests
Hideaki Saito First Department of Surgery, University of Tokyo
7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113 JAPAN

Accepted
July 6, 1992

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