Apoptosis of lymphocytes in allograft in a rat liver transplantation model induced by resveratrol.
OBJECTIVE
To study the effect of resveratrol (RES) on the apoptosis of lymphocytes in allograft in a rat liver transplantation model.


METHODS
Male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were selected as donors and male Wistar rats as recipients for a rejection model. The recipients were divided into four groups after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLTx). In the RES A, B, and C groups, RES was given intraperitoneally once a day (25, 50, and 100 mgkg(-1), respectively) after OLTx, whereas in the control group vehicle buffer was given intraperitoneally once a day. The survival period, lymphocytes apoptosis, expressions of Bcl-2/Bax proteins in lymphocytes, and histopathological findings were then compared among these groups.


RESULTS
The mean survival period after OLTx in RES C group was significantly longer than that in control group (P < 0.05). On the seventh post-transplant day, the apoptosis index (AI) of lymphocytes in portal area and the positive rate of Bax protein in lymphocytes in RES C group were significantly increased in comparison with those in control group (both P < 0.05), whereas there is no obvious difference in the expression of Bcl-2 protein in lymphocytes between the control group and various drug groups (all P < 0.05), and a histological examination revealed apparent difference in the severity of rejection between the RES C group and control group (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
RES has an immunosuppressive effect on lymphocytes under allograft rejection in rat. Inducing apoptosis of lymphocytes and upregulating the ratio of Bax/bcl-2 proteins in lymphocytes in allograft liver may be part of the mechanisms.
Wu
Sheng-Li
SL
Department of General and Transplantation Surgery, University Hospital Essen, Hufeland Street 55, Essen 45122, Germany. shengliyili@hotmail.com
Yu
Liang
L
Pan
Cheng-En
CE
Jiao
Xing-Yuan
XY
Lv
Yi
Y
Fu
Jian
J
Meng
Ke-wei
KW
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D006084:Graft Rejection; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D000077185:Resveratrol; D013267:Stilbenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000096:biosynthesis
C494828:Bax protein, rat; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D013267:Stilbenes; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D000077185:Resveratrol