Taurine protects from liver injury after warm ischemia in rats: the role of kupffer cells.
OBJECTIVE
Warm ischemia to liver with subsequent Kupffer cell-dependent pathology is associated with many clinical conditions. Taurine prevents Kupffer cell activation and improves graft survival after experimental cold ischemia and liver transplantation. Thus this study was designed to assess its effects after warm hepatic ischemia.


METHODS
The left liver lobe of female Sprague-Dawley rats (170-210 g) underwent 60 min of warm ischemia. Animals were given either intravenous taurine or Ringer's solution 10 min prior to warm ischemia. Transaminases, histology, in vivo microscopy, intercellular adhesion molecules-1 (ICAM-1) expression, TNF-alpha and tissue hydroperoxide were compared between groups using analysis of variance (ANOVA) or ANOVA on ranks as appropriate.


RESULTS
Taurine significantly decreased transaminases and improved histologic outcome. Phagocytosis of latex beads, serum TNF-alpha levels and tissue hydroperoxide concentrations were also significantly reduced. Stickers in sinusoids and post-sinusoidal venules significantly decreased. In parallel, both leukocyte infiltration and ICAM-1 expression decreased (p < 0.05), while flow velocity of red blood cells as well as sinusoidal perfusion rate were improved (p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrates that taurine blunts Kupffer cell-dependent hepatic pathology after warm ischemia in vivo via mechanisms including leukocyte-endothelial interaction, microcirculation disturbances and protection against lipid peroxidation.
Kincius
M
M
Department of General Surgery, Ruprecht Karls University, Heidelberg, Germany.
Liang
R
R
Nickkholgh
A
A
Hoffmann
K
K
Flechtenmacher
C
C
Ryschich
E
E
Gutt
C N
CN
Gebhard
M-M
MM
Schmidt
J
J
Büchler
M W
MW
Schemmer
P
P
D000818:Animals; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000187:drug effects; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D007728:Kupffer Cells / Q000187:drug effects*; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000293:injuries*; D008262:Macrophage Activation / Q000187:drug effects*; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000187:drug effects; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013654:Taurine / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood
D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; D013654:Taurine