[Propofol ameliorates rat liver ischemia-reperfusion injury possibly by inhibiting nuclear factor-kappaB expression].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the role of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) in the protective effects of propofol against liver ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury.


METHODS
Forty male rats were randomized into 4 equal groups, namely the sham operation (N) group, IR group with hepatic IR injury (induced by ischemia of the left, right and median hepatic lobes for 1 h followed by reperfusion for 2 h), propofol (P) group with sham operation and propofol perfusion at 10 mg kg(-1) h(-1), and propofol treatment (PIR) group with IR injury and propofol perfusion. RT-PCR was used to detect the transcription level of NF-kappaB, and Western blotting was used for assaying NF-kappaB protein expression in the liver.


RESULTS
Compared with either the N or the P group, the IR group showed obvious swelling, fatty degeneration and scatter focal necrosis of the hepatocytes as well as mild congestion in the hepatic sinusoid, with significantly increased plasma alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels and NF-kappaB expressions at both mRNA and protein levels (P<0.05). In the PIR group, the histopathological changes of the liver was lessened as compared with the IR group, and ALT and AST elevation was significantly inhibited (P<0.05) as was the protein expression of NF-kappaB (P<0.05), but NF-kappaB transcription level was further enhanced (P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Propofol can protect the liver from IR injury possibly by inhibiting NF-kappaB expression.
He
Jing
J
Department of Anesthesiology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China.
Lu
Kai-Zhi
KZ
Tao
Guo-Cai
GC
D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D008099:Liver / Q000098:blood supply*; D008297:Male; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D015742:Propofol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000517:prevention & control*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
D016328:NF-kappa B; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D015742:Propofol