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Changes of serum and urinary neopterin concentrations in rats after partial hepatectomy.

OBJECTIVE
To investigate the changes in serum and urinary neopterin concentrations over time after partial hepatectomy in rats, and to find out if neopterin can be used as a marker of immunological response during the regulation of liver regeneration.


DESIGN
Randomised experiment.


SETTING
University hospital, Taiwan, R.O.C.


SUBJECTS
84 male Wistar rats weighing about 200g.


INTERVENTIONS
Partial hepatectomy (67%) or sham operation (n = 42 in each group).


MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
Serum and urinary neopterin concentrations measured by radioimmunoassay preoperatively and on days 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 10 postoperatively.


RESULTS
Serum neopterin concentrations increased and reached their peak on days 5 and 7 after partial hepatectomy. The urinary neopterin concentration showed a similar trend, but with a more pronounced increase on days 5 and 7.


CONCLUSIONS
Serum and urinary neopterin concentrations can be used as markers of activated cell-mediated immunity in rats after partial hepatectomy.