Transplantation of Co-Microencapsulated Hepatocytes and HUVECs for Treatment of Fulminant Hepatic Failure

• Published in: International journal of artificial organs 2012-06, Vol.35 (6), p.458-465
• Main Authors: Qiu, Liyuan, Wang, Jian, Wen, Xinyu, Wang, Haibin, Wang, Yan, Lin, Qiuxia, Du, Zhiyan, Duan, Cuimi, Wang, Chunren, Wang, Changyong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alanine transaminase; Alanine Transaminase - blood; Animals; Aspartate Aminotransferases - blood; Biological and medical sciences; Biomarkers - blood; Cell Survival; Cells, Cultured; Disease Models, Animal; Galactosamine; Gastroenterology. Liver. Pancreas. Abdomen; Graft Rejection - immunology; Graft Rejection - prevention & control; Graft Survival; Hepatocytes - immunology; Hepatocytes - metabolism; Hepatocytes - transplantation; Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells - transplantation; Humans; Liver - metabolism; Liver - pathology; Liver Failure, Acute - blood; Liver Failure, Acute - chemically induced; Liver Failure, Acute - pathology; Liver Failure, Acute - surgery; Liver. Biliary tract. Portal circulation. Exocrine pancreas; Medical sciences; Other diseases. Semiology; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Serum Albumin - metabolism; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases; Time Factors
• ISSN: 0391-3988; 1724-6040
• DOI: 10.5301/ijao.5000092

Purpose: Microencapsulated hepatocytes might solve immunological rejection, broadening a new perspective for the treatment of fulminant hepatic failure (FHF). However, the transplantation of microcapsulated hepatocytes is limited by low cell viability Nevertheless, the co-microencapsulation of hepatocytes and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) may make the treatment of FHF more promising. Methods: We prepared the microcapsules using the high-voltage electrostatic droplet spray method, transplanted the empty microcapsules, isolated hepatocytes, microcapsulated hepatocytes, and co-microencapsulated hepatocytes and HUVEC intraperitoneally into rat models of FHF induced by D-aminogalactose (D-gal). After 1, 3, and 7 days, and 2, 3, and 4 weeks posttransplantation, we calculated the mortality and assessed alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and albumin (ALB) levels in the serum of the model; evaluated the integrality and recovery of microcapsules; and stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) the recovered microcapsules as well as the liver of the FHF rats. Results: Hepatocyte-specific functions, including the levels of ALT, AST, and ALB in the serum of the co-microencapsulation group, were significantly better than those in the other groups (p