Polyenylphosphatidylcholine pretreatment protects rat liver from ischemia/reperfusion injury.
BACKGROUND
Hepatic injury induced by ischemia/reperfusion following surgery, transplantation, or circulatory shock combined with resuscitation is a major clinical problem. Polyenylphosphatidylcholine (PPC) has strong antioxidant, cytoprotective and anti-inflammatory effects.


OBJECTIVE
In this study, the influence of PPC pretreatment on ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury of the liver was examined in rats.


METHODS
The animals were divided into three groups: control (n=10), I/R (n=15) and I/R+PPC (n=15). PPC was given 100mg/day for 7 days before experiment. Several parameters of hepatic damage, oxidative stress, neutrophil infiltration and nuclear factor kappa beta (NF-kappaB) expression were measured as well as microscopic examination.


RESULTS
We observed that a significant reduction in AST and ALT values in the PPC treated group when compared with the ischemic group. The increases in hepatic total NO(2)+NO(3) and MDA, and decreases in SOD and GSH levels after reperfusion were partially, but significantly, inhibited by PPC pretreatment. I/R induced increase in hepatic myeloperoxidase content and NF-kappaB expression were also lowered by PPC pretreatment. Animals pretreated with PPC presented minimal hemorrhage and reduced signs of liver injury.


CONCLUSIONS
PPC pretretament provided significant protection againts I/R injury to the liver. This treatment could be therapeutic in liver transplantation and other conditions associated with I/R injury.
Demirbilek
Savaş
S
Department of Pediatric Surgery, Medical School of Inonu University, Turkey.
Karaman
Abdurrahman
A
Gürünlüoğlu
Kubilay
K
Taş
Erkan
E
Akın
Melih
M
Aksoy
Rauf Tuğrul
RT
Türkmen
Emine
E
Edalı
Mehmet Naci
MN
Baykarabulut
Aysun
A