J Trauma
-
The liver plays a critical regulatory role in the acute inflammatory response to injury, although the mechanisms of this regulation are not well understood. transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) is induced after burn injury and may contribute to an inhibitory or fatal effect on hepatocytes. We investigated the association over time between plasma concentration of TGF-beta1, expression of TGF-beta1 m-RNA in liver tissue, and histologic analysis of liver apoptosis after burn injury. ⋯ The levels of induced TGF-beta1 and TGF-beta1 m-RNA after L burn injury are higher and peak earlier than after M burn injury. Elevated TGF-beta1 may be associated with cell death in hepatocytes. The TGF-beta1 rise may be associated with hepatocyte injury and systemic response to massive burn.