Abstract
It is widely accepted that thrombocytopenia associated with liver cirrhosis is caused by increased platelet destruction in the enlarged spleen, but this issue has not yet been analysed sufficiently in terms of platelet production. Thrombopoietin is produced mainly in the liver and strongly promotes platelet production. We studied serum thrombopoietin and the levels of its mRNA in liver tissue of cirrhotic patients and also in a rat model of liver cirrhosis. Furthermore, to clarify the influence of the spleen, we investigated thrombopoietin mRNA in splenectomized rats. The serum thrombopoietin level in humans with liver cirrhosis was not significantly reduced instead of thrombocytopenia. The expression of thrombopoietin mRNA in liver tissue decreased with the progression of liver cirrhosis in both patients and the rat model and no compensatory expression was observed in other organs or non-parenchymal cells. The level of thrombopoietin mRNA did not differ significantly in splenectomized cirrhotic rats before or after administration of dimethylnitrosamine, but was lower than that in splenectomized rats without cirrhosis. We conclude that thrombocytopenia in liver cirrhosis is caused not only by platelet destruction but also by decreased platelet production, perhaps due to reduction of thrombopoietin mRNA in the liver.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
