Role of HGF-loaded nanoparticles in treating rat acute hepatic failure.

Background/aims: To explore the role of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)-loaded polylactic acid-O-carboxymethylated chitosan (PLA-O-CMC) nanoparticles in hepatocyte transplantation (HCT) for treating rat acute liver failure (ALF).
Methods: Five milliliters of hepatocytes respectively treated with conventional culture (group I), PLA-O-CMC nanoparticles (group II) and HGF-loaded PLA-O-CMC nanoparticles (group III) were transplanted into the abdominal cavities of rat with ALF. In group IV, rats were treated as group II except intravenous 10 pg of HGF daily for 7 days, and in group V, rats were given intraperitoneal RPMI-1640.
Results: The survival rate on the 14th day after HCT was higher in groups III IV, and II than in group V (p<0.05). Hepatic function in groups II-IV was improved 24 h after HCT (p<0.05, compared with group V). The recovery of hepatic function was the best in group III. In group III, mitotic index was 10.20% on the 5th day after HCT (p<0.05, compared with other groups) and Ki-67 labeling index was 16.8% on the 7th day after HCT (p<0.05, compared with group V).
Conclusions: HGF-loaded PLA-O-CMC nanoparticles can steadily release HGF, and exhibits better tendencies in liver regeneration, survival rate and hepatic function compared with intravenous HGF.