Experimental and clinical studies on the effect of reticuloendothelial system (RES) potentiator in the depressed RES function in cirrhotics

Among the patients with liver cirrhosis (LC) who undergo the operation, the postoperative complications are not infrequent and sometimes prove fatal. The impaired hepatic function, especially the impaired reticuloendothelial system (RES) function, has been claimed to be a possible pathogenic factor for these complications. The present experimental and clinical studies were undertaken to investigate the RES function and the effect of preoperative OK-432 administration as an RES potentiator in LC. The results are as follows: 1) CCl4-induced LC rats were evaluated for RES global phagocytic function, Kupffer cell phagocytic function, plasma opsonic activity and plasma opsonic substances such as fibronectin, C3 and IgG. All parameters except IgG showed significant depression compared to those values in normal rats. However, the administration of OK-432 (0.1 KE/rat, ip) improved all these depressed parameters. The OK-432 administration also significantly improved the survival following panperitonitis in LC rats. 2) Among 18 LC patients with hepatocellular carcinoma undergoing partial hepatectomy, the RES global phagocytic function, plasma opsonic activity and plasma opsonic substances were evaluated. Same as the experimental study, all parameters except IgG were significantly depressed among the LC patients compared to those values in the patients with normal liver. However, the preoperative OK-432 administration (5 KE/day sc for 4 days) significantly improved these parameters and consequently decreased the postoperative complications. These results indicate that the preoperative RES activation by the OK-432 was effective and useful for the prevention of the postoperative complications in the LC patients.