Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Nitric oxide secreted by inducible nitric oxide synthase is one of important factors in the pathophysiological changes of the liver graft caused by ischemia/reperfusion injury.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of nitric oxide on the cell apoptosis induced by ischemia/reperfusion injury after liver transplantation in rats and the gene expression of caspase-3.
METHODS: Seventy-two recipient rats were randomly divided into transplantation, arginine and L-NAME groups, and they were developed into rat models of orthotopic liver transplantation. At 5 minutes before surgery, arginine, which can increase serum level of nitric oxide, and L-NAME, an inhibitor of nitric oxides were injected into the arginine and L-NAME groups, respectively. After model establishment, the remaining 24 rats were included into sham-surgery group.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The activity of serum transaminase in the transplantation group was significantly higher than in the arginine group, but it was significantly lower than in the L-NAME group (P < 0.01). Serum level of nitric oxide in the transplantation group was higher than in the L-NAME group, but it was lower than in the arginine group. Early cell apoptosis peaked at 3 hours after reperfusion. The percentage of living hepatocytes and the expression of caspase-3 in the transplantation group were higher than in the arginine group, but it was lower than in the L-NAME group. These findings suggest that nitric oxide exhibits protective effects on early apoptosis of hepatocytes-induced by ischemia/reperfusion after orthotopic liver transplantation, which may be mediated by downregulating caspase-3 gene expression.