Hepatocellular transplantation in UDP glucuronyl transferase deficient rats

Hepatocellular transplantation from heterozygous Gunn rats to jaundiced homozygotes resulted in a significant and persistent fall in serum bilirubin. This effect has persisted for 21 weeks in the three animals followed up for that time period. The variability in serum bilirubin levels in the control animals is unexplained. However, at all time periods the fall in serum bilirubin was found to be significantly greater in transplanted animals. Serum bilirubin has not been lowered to normal levels in any of the animals. Liver from heterozygous Gunn rats contains subnormal levels of the enzyme UDP glucuronyl transferase. It is possible that with sequential transplants or with use of liver cells from normal animals, serum bilirubin will fall to normal. Hepatocellular transplantation has potential clinical application in enzymatic deficiency disease.