Background: Both partial-hepatectomy (PHx) and massive small bowel resection (SBR) are strong mitogenic signals to the remnant liver and intestine, respectively. This study tested the hypothesis that PHx was an additive signal for intestinal adaptation after massive SBR.
Methods: Male mice underwent either sham SBR or 50% proximal SBR. Mice from these two groups were then subjected to a 70% PHx or sham PHx. After 3 days, parameters of intestinal adaptation and liver regeneration were recorded in the remnant intestine and liver, respectively.
Results: Intestinal adaptation following SBR occurred normally, but was not enhanced after concomitant PHx. On the other hand, SBR impaired the regenerative ability of the liver following PHx.
Conclusions: Intestinal adaptation after SBR takes priority over liver regeneration after PHx. These data implicate a hierarchy with regard to adaptive alterations to organ loss and endorse an important role for the intestinal mucosa in the regulation of hepatic regeneration.