Abstract: Fulminant hepatic failure is a severe clinical condition associated with extremely poor outcomes and high mortality. A number of studies have demonstrated the ability of plasma transfusion to successfully treat fulminant hepatic failure, but the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. The aim of the present study is to define the mechanisms of plasma transfusion treatment in lipopolysaccharide/D-galactosamine (LPS/D-GalN)-induced mice. LPS/D-GalN treatment in mice causes significant hepatic failure, including increasing serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels, histopathological changes in centrilobular necrosis and inflammatory cells, and the up-regulation of inflammation (tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6)). When LPS/D-GaIN-induced mice were treated with plasma, these changes were halted. Results showed that plasma transfusion significantly reduced mortality, and decreased the levels of AST, ALT, and inflammation factors such as TNF-α and IL-6. The expression levels of cleaved Caspase-3, BAX, and p53 were down-regulated and Bcl-2 was up-regulated, suggesting that plasma can reduce LPS/D-GalN-induced apoptosis. The protective mechanism of plasma against LPS/D-GalN-induced fulminant hepatic failure is related to the inhibition of the inflammatory response and the reduction in apoptosis through the down-regulation of the p53-induced apoptotic pathway.

Key words: Fulminant hepatic failure; Plasma; Inflammation; Apoptosis

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