Role of caspase-3 dependent hepatocyte apoptosis in liver ischemia-reperfusion injury in cirrhotic rats / 中国病理生理杂志

ABSTRACT

AIM: To investigate whether hepatocyte apoptosis is contributed to liver ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury and the relationship between liver caspase-3 activity and hepatocyte apoptosis in cirrhotic rats. METHODS: Liver ischemia-reperfusion is induced by Pringle maneuver. The cirrhotic rats were randomized into two groups Group A simple hepatic blood inflow occlusion (HBIO); Group B HBIO + inhibitor, before HBIO, ZVAD-fmk 15 mg/kg was injected via dorsal penis vein; Group C healthy rat, simple HBIO. The ischemia time was 30 min in these groups. Serum aspartate aminotransferase(AST), liver caspase-3 activity, and apoptotic hepatocytes were examined in the three groups. RESULTS: After 6 h of reperfusion, the liver caspase-3 activity was markedly elevated and reached its peak, which was statistically higher than that of before I/R [(18.1?1.8 ) ?mol?h -1 ?g -1 (tissue) vs (6.6?2.0) ?mol?h -1 ?g -1 (tissue), P