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Impaired cell functions of hepatocytes incubated with plasma of septic patients

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Abstract

Objective and design

The development of liver failure is a major problem in septic patients. In this prospective clinical experimental study the hepatotoxicity of plasma from septic and non-septic patients was tested.

Methods and subjects

The basic test components consist of human liver cells (HepG2/C3A) used in a standardized microtiter plate assay. After incubation with patient’s plasma viability of cells (XTT-test), the cytochrome 1A2 activity and synthesis of micro albumin were measured. Subjects (28) enrolled comprise the septic shock group (SSG, n = 10), the non-septic group (NSG, n = 5) and the healthy volunteers group (HVG, n = 13).

Results

The 28-day mortality was 30% in the SSG. The APACHE II-, SOFA-, and SAPS-scores and the values of bilirubin and prothrombin time as INR were significantly higher in the SSG than in the NSG. The cytochrome 1A2 activity and the release of albumin were significantly reduced in HepG2/C3A cells incubated with plasma of the SSG (p < 0.05). The cytochrome 1A2 activities were higher in survivors compared to non-survivors at the time point 0 and were increasing in survivors and decreasing in non-survivors within 54 h in the SSG. In the SSG there was a significant decrease in IL-10 and IL-8 between inclusion and 54 h. Values of IL-6, TNF alpha and IL-10 were significantly lower in the NSG compared with the values of the SSG at inclusion and after 54 h.

Conclusion

The plasma of patients with septic shock impaired cellular functions of HepG2/C3A cells.

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Abbreviations

ALAT:

Alanineaminotransferase

APACHE:

Acute physiology and chronic health evaluation (score)

aPTT:

Activated partial thromboplastin time

ASAT:

Asparagineaminotransferase

ATCC:

American type culture collection

CRP:

C-reactive protein

ICG:

Indocyanine green

ICU:

Intensive care unit

IL:

Interleukin

INR:

International normalized ratio

LDH:

Lactatedehydrogenase

PCT:

Procalcitonin

SIRS:

Systemic inflammatory response syndrom

SAPS:

Simplified acute physiology score

SEM:

Standard error of mean

SOFA:

Sepsis-related organ failure assessment (score)

TNF:

Tumor necrosis factor

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Acknowledgments

The authors want to thank Mrs Heike Potschka and Mrs Helga Weiss-Reining for valuable technical support. A special thank to Mrs Maren Siekmöller for her help for creating the test and to Mr Hans-Peter Deigner for the critical reviewing of the paper. The study was supported by research grants of the University of Rostock.

Conflict of interest

None of the authors has any conflict of interest to declare.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, University of Rostock, Schillingallee 35, 18055, Rostock, Germany

    Martin Sauer, Cristof Haubner, Thomas Mencke & Gabriele Nöldge-Schomburg

  2. Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology, Medical Faculty, University of Rostock, Schillingallee 35, Rostock, Germany

    Steffen Mitzner, Jens Altrichter & Jan Stange

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  1. Martin Sauer
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  2. Cristof Haubner
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Correspondence to Martin Sauer.

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Responsible Editor: Artur Bauhofer.

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Sauer, M., Haubner, C., Mencke, T. et al. Impaired cell functions of hepatocytes incubated with plasma of septic patients. Inflamm. Res. 61, 609–616 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00011-012-0451-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00011-012-0451-9

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