title: Diltiazem reduces apoptosis in rat hepatocytes subjected to warm hypoxia-reoxygenation.
abstract: Interruption of hepatic blood flow is necessary in surgery, but the liver is sensitive to ischemia and reperfusion. Hypoxia induces an increase in intracellular calcium concentration. In previous studies, we have shown that hypoxia-reoxygenation (H/R) increased calcium influx and induced JNK(1)/SAPK(1) activation which was involved in the triggering of apoptosis. The aim of this study was to demonstrate that diltiazem, a calcium inhibitor, reduced JNK(1)/SAPK(1) activation and consequently could decrease H/R-induced apoptosis. Experiments were performed, in the presence of diltiazem, on primary cultured rat hepatocytes, subjected to warm H/R phases and in a liver ischemia-reperfusion model. The activation status of JNK(1)/SAPK(1) was evaluated by immunoprecipitation and immunohistolocalisation experiments, while apoptosis was assessed by measuring caspase activity and by TUNEL labeling. Diltiazem inhibited H/R-induced JNK(1)/SAPK(1) activation and decreased apoptosis. It could be used to improve postoperative liver function.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Physiologie, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Nice-Sophia Antipolis, France. dominique.crenesse@unice.fr
authors.forename: Dominique
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Crenesse
authors.forename: Karine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tornieri
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Laurens
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Heurteaux
authors.forename: Raffaele
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cursio
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gugenheim
authors.forename: Annie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schmid-Alliana
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004110:Diltiazem / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D006358:Hot Temperature; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008099:Liver / Q000098:blood supply / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D008297:Male; D048055:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 8; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D010100:Oxygen / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D048055:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 8; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D004110:Diltiazem; D010100:Oxygen; D002118:Calcium