Sevoflurane alleviates liver ischemia reperfusion injury through inactivation of the TRAF6/NF-κB signaling pathway

Purpose: To evaluate the role and mechanism of action of sevoflurane in liver ischemia reperfusion injury.Methods: Rats were pretreated with sevoflurane and then underwent liver ischemia followed by reperfusion to establish an animal model of liver ischemia reperfusion injury. Pathological changes in liver tissues were investigated by hematoxylin and eosin (H & E) staining, and serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were determined using a chemistryanalyzer. ELISA was used to determine the levels of myeloperoxidase (MPO), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), IL-6, superoxide (SOD), malonaldehyde (MDA), catalase (CAT), and glutathione (GSH).Results: Pathological changes in liver tissue, including sinusoidal congestion, vacuole formation, and infiltration of inflammatory cells and lymphocytes, were identified in rats post-ischemia reperfusion injury. In addition, serum ALT and AST levels increased following ischemia reperfusion injury. However, administration of sevoflurane ameliorated the pathological liver damage and decreased the serum ALTand AST levels induced by ischemia reperfusion. Pro- inflammatory cytokines, such as MPO, TNF-α, IL- 1β, and IL-6 were upregulated in rats following ischemia reperfusion injury, and this upregulation was reversed by sevoflurane administration. Sevoflurane administration also attenuated the ischemia reperfusion-induced increase in MDA and decrease in SOD, CAT, and GSH. Ischemia reperfusionrepressed IκBα protein expression and promoted protein expression of TNF receptor associated factor 6 (TRAF6), phospho (p)-IκBα, and p-p65 in liver tissue. However, sevoflurane reversed the effect of ischemia reperfusion on IκBα, TRAF6, p-IκBα, and p-65 expression.Conclusion: Sevoflurane administration reduced pathological liver injury post-ischemia reperfusion bysuppressing the inflammatory response and oxidative stress through inactivation of the TRAF6/NF-κB pathway.

Treatment with sodium (S)-2-hydroxyglutarate prevents liver injury in an ischemia-reperfusion model in female Wistar rats

Background Ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury is one of the leading causes of early graft dysfunction in liver transplantation. Techniques such as ischemic preconditioning protect the graft through the activation of the hypoxia-inducible factors (HIF), which are downregulated by the EGLN family of prolyl-4-hydroxylases, a potential biological target for the development of strategies based on pharmacological preconditioning. For that reason, this study aims to evaluate the effect of the EGLN inhibitor sodium (S)-2-hydroxyglutarate [(S)-2HG] on liver IR injury in Wistar rats. Methods Twenty-eight female Wistar rats were divided into the following groups: sham (SH, n = 7), non-toxicity (HGTox, n = 7, 25 mg/kg of (S)-2HG, twice per day for two days), IR (n = 7, total liver ischemia: 20 minutes, reperfusion: 60 minutes), and (S)-2HG+IR (HGIR, n = 7, 25 mg/kg of (S)-2HG, twice per day for two days, total liver ischemia as the IR group). Serum ALT, AST, LDH, ALP, glucose, and total bilirubin were assessed. The concentrations of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF, malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase were measured in liver tissue, as well as the expression of Hmox1, Vegfa, and Pdk1, determined by RT-qPCR. Sections of liver tissue were evaluated histologically, assessing the severity of necrosis, sinusoidal congestion, and cytoplasmatic vacuolization. Results The administration of (S)-2HG did not cause any alteration in the assessed biochemical markers compared to SH. Preconditioning with (S)-2HG significantly ameliorated IR injury in the HGIR group, decreasing the serum activities of ALT, AST, and LDH, and the tissue concentrations of IL-1β and IL-6 compared to the IR group. IR injury decreased serum glucose compared to SH. There were no differences in the other biomarkers assessed. The treatment with (S)-2HG tended to decrease the severity of hepatocyte necrosis and sinusoidal congestion compared to the IR group. The administration of (S)-2HG did not affect the expression of Hmox1 but decreased the expression of both Vegfa and Pdk1 compared to the SH group, suggesting that the HIF-1 pathway is not involved in its mechanism of hepatoprotection. In conclusion, (S)-2HG showed a hepatoprotective effect, decreasing the levels of liver injury and inflammation biomarkers, without evidence of the involvement of the HIF-1 pathway. No hepatotoxic effect was observed at the tested dose.