External-beam radiotherapy as preparative regimen for hepatocyte transplantation after partial hepatectomy

Purpose: The transplantation of donor hepatocytes is considered a promising option to correct chronic liver failure through repopulation of the diseased organ. This study describes a novel selective external-beam irradiation technique as a preparative regimen for hepatocyte transplantation. Methods and Materials: Livers of dipeptidylpeptidase IV (DPPIV)–deficient rats were preconditioned with external-beam single-dose irradiation (25 Gy) delivered to two thirds of the liver. Four days later, a one-third partial hepatectomy (PH) was performed to resect the untreated liver section, and 15 million wild-type (DPPIV + ) hepatocytes were transplanted via the spleen into the recipient livers. The …