ROLE OF NITRIC OXIDE IN LIVER REGENERATION

CARNOVALE C.E; RONCO MT

ANNALS OF HEPATOLOGY

MEXICAN ASSOC HEPATOLOGY

Lugar: Mexico, DF.; Año: 2012

1665-2681

The liver has remarkable ability to regenerate following surgical resection or chemical damage. The mechanisms regulating regenerative processes are complex and incompletely understood. A large number of immediate and delayed early genes, which are not normally expressed in the quiescent liver, are activated. Immediately after PH (1 – 6 hours), nitric oxide (NO) is synthesized by liver parenchymal and nonparenchymal cells from L-arginine, via induction of the inducible form of nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). NO is a highly reactive molecule, known to be involved in diverse biological processes in nearly all aspects of life. Liver regeneration is a major area within the field of NO research. Our review shows several targets that have been suggested for the NO released following partial hepatectomy, including the modulation of proliferation process, the inhibition or induction of apoptosis and the improvement of blood flow through the remnant tissue. Because iNOS expression has such profound physiologic effects, its regulation is strictly controlled. The expression of iNOS after PH and subsequent production of NO implicated positive effects of NO in the regulation of early stages of the regenerative process. However, over production (more than 100%) can have detrimental effects including apoptosis. Thus, the iNOS induction after PH, is necessary and enough to achieve the normal regenerative process.