[Hepatocyte apoptosis and expression of apoptosis-regulating genes during cold preservation and reperfusion injury in rat donor liver].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the apoptosis of hepatocytes and the expression of apoptosis-regulating genes during the donor liver ischemia and reperfusion injury in rat orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT).


METHODS
Seventy-two male SD rats were randomly divided into sham operation group and transplantation group. Using Ringer's lactate solution as the perfusing and preserving solution, the grafts were preserved for 4 h before orthotopic transplantation. At 1, 6 and 24 h after the reperfusion, the recipients were sacrificed, and the serum ALT and AST levels were measured; the changes of hepatocyte apoptosis was detected by TUNEL assay, and the protein expressions of the apoptosis-regulating genes were measured by flow cytometry.


RESULTS
Serum ALT and AST levels were significantly higher in transplantation group than in the control group after reperfusion. In comparison with the control group, the rats in the transplantation group showed significantly increased apoptosis index in the livers, lowered Bcl-2 levels and increased FasL levels after the transplantation, especially at 6 h after liver reperfusion (P<0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
The donor liver ischemia and reperfusion injury can promote hepatocyte apoptosis, which may be related with the high expression of Bcl-2 gene and low expression of FasL after reperfusion injury in rats with orthotopic liver transplantation.
Wang
Yu
Y
Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China. wangyu@fimmu.com
Kan
He-ping
HP
Jiang
Xiao-qing
XQ
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; C505662:Faslg protein, rat; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2