Published online Dec 27, 2023. doi: 10.4240/wjgs.v15.i12.2866
Peer-review started: September 8, 2023
First decision: October 24, 2023
Revised: November 1, 2023
Accepted: November 17, 2023
Article in press: November 17, 2023
Published online: December 27, 2023
There is a lack of recognized safe, effective, and stable drugs to promote liver regeneration at present, which greatly limits the progress of liver surgery. It has been reported that vagus nerve signaling is beneficial to liver regeneration, but the potential mechanism is not fully understood.
In previous studies, we found that blocking the hepatic vagus nerve would exacerbate liver injury caused by ischemia-reperfusion, indicating that the vagus nerve may play a protective role in liver injury. Unfortunately, we cannot determine the effect and mechanism of the vagus nerve in liver regeneration after hepatectomy so far.
Exploring the role and mechanism of hepatic vagus nerve in liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy (PHx).
Establishing a PHx+ hepatic vagotomy (Hv) mice model. The effect of vagus on liver regeneration was determined by comparing the liver regeneration levels of the PHx-Hv group and the PHx-sham group mice. Quantikine enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit and molecular biology techniques (western blot, polymerase chain reaction, etc.) have been used to further investigate the potential mechanism of Hv on liver regeneration.
Hv mice showed severe liver injury and weakened liver regeneration after PHx compared to control-group mice. Hv downregulates the production of interleukin-22 (IL-22) induced by PHx, inhibiting the activation of the signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) pathway in the liver. Exogenous IL-22 supplementation reverse the inhibitory effect on liver regeneration induced by Hv, while IL-22 binding protein inhibits the activation of liver STAT3 signaling pathway after PHx, then hindering liver regeneration in PHx-sham mice.
Hv inhibits the regeneration of residual liver after surgery by downregulating the production of IL-22 induced by PHx.
We are currently planning to investigate whether drugs that protect the vagus nerve play a positive role in liver regeneration after PHx.