ABSTRACT
In acute extrahepatic biliary obstruction (AEBO), serum aminotransferase levels (ALT and AST) are similar to those observed in acute hepatitis (AH). Microscopically, the two pathologies have completely different characteristics, indicating the possibility that different mechanisms underlie the passage of aminotransferase from the intracellular to the intravascular medium. The objective of the present study was to assess serum ALT and AST levels in rats with AEBO and ALT and AST levels in preservation medium (PM) and the hepatic mitochondrial function before and after hypothermic (2-4ºC) liver preservation. Two sets of experiments were performed: The first set was conducted on 14 male Wistar rats (250-350g), 7 of them used as controls and 7 submitted to AEBO of 24-h duration. The second set was conducted on 14 male Wistar rats weighing 250-350 g divided into two groups of 7 animals, each, i. e., a control group (n=7) and an ischemic group. Before being submitted to hypotermic presevation, the animals were submitted to 1 hour of warm ischemia. After hepatectomy, the livers from all groups were preserved in Belzer UW solution at 2-4ºC for 3 h. The serum aminotransferase levels in the AEBO group were significantly increased to 1707 + 223 U/l for AST, 1522 + 45 U/l for ALT, and 1508 + 127 U/l for alkaline phosphatase when compared to the controls (P < 0.0001)...