Augmented hepatocellular carcinoma progression and depressed Kupffer cell activity in rat cirrhotic livers

Int J Oncol. 2001 Jan;18(1):41-7. doi: 10.3892/ijo.18.1.41.

Abstract

To examine the property of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), rat HCC cells were implanted into normal and cirrhotic rat livers. Implanted HCC grew much more progressively in cirrhotic livers than in normal livers. Kupffer cells were decreased profoundly in cirrhotic livers, resulting in markedly impaired phagocytic activity. Furthermore, production of Kupffer cell-related cytokines, such as interleukin-1 beta and tumor necrosis factor-alpha, was decreased profoundly in cirrhotic livers. Our results indicate that liver cirrhosis is a prominent promoting factor in HCC progression, and that markedly depressed Kupffer cell activity may play a role in augmented HCC progression in cirrhotic livers.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / etiology
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / metabolism
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / pathology*
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Disease Progression
  • Interleukin-1 / metabolism
  • Kupffer Cells / pathology*
  • Liver / cytology
  • Liver / metabolism
  • Liver Cirrhosis / chemically induced
  • Liver Cirrhosis / complications
  • Liver Cirrhosis / metabolism
  • Liver Cirrhosis / pathology*
  • Liver Neoplasms / etiology
  • Liver Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Liver Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Male
  • Phagocytosis / physiology
  • Precancerous Conditions / pathology
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Thioacetamide
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / metabolism

Substances

  • Interleukin-1
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • Thioacetamide