ABSTRACT
Objective To assess the protective effect of remifentanil on cultured human hepatocytes against anoxia-reoxygenation injury. Methods Cultured hepatocytes were divided into 5 groups: group C receiving normoxia as control; groups AR, R, CH, R+CH receiving 15-hour xypoxia followed by 5-hour reoxygenation (group R receiving 5 ng/ml remifentanil, group CH 10 ?mol/L chelerythrine, group R+CH 5 ng/ml remifentanil and 10 ?mol/L chelerythrine before reoxygenation). The content of MDA in the hepatocyte mitochondria were measured. The rate of apoptotic cells was measured by flow cytometry. The expression of protein kinase C mRNA was measured by RT-PCR. Results Anoxia-reoxygenation caused dramatic increase in the content of MDA, the rate of apoptotic cells and the expression of protein kinase C mRNA. The three indexes mentioned above of groups R and CH were between that of groups C and AR (P