title: Protective effects elicited by levosimendan against liver ischemia/reperfusion injury in anesthetized rats.
abstract: As in other organs, oxidative stress-induced injury and cell death may result from free oxygen radical-dependent mechanisms and alterations in signal transduction pathways leading to apoptosis. Among the new suggested therapies for injuries caused by oxidative stress, the use of levosimendan has been reported to be quite promising. In the present study, we aimed to examine the protective effects of levosimendan against liver oxidative stress in anesthetized rats and to analyze the involvement of mitochondrial adenosine triphosphate-dependent potassium (mitoK(ATP)) channels and nitric oxide (NO). In 50 anesthetized rats, liver ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) was performed via nontraumatic portal occlusion. In some animals, levosimendan was infused into the portal vein at the onset of reperfusion, whereas other rats received the vehicle only. Moreover, in some rats, levosimendan was given after the intraportal administration of L-Nω-nitro-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) or 5-hydroxydecanoate (5HD). The portal vein blood flow was measured, and blood samples were taken for the determination of transaminases, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), and reduced glutathione (GSH); liver biopsy samples were used for B cell lymphoma 2-associated X protein, caspase-9, Akt, and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) activation through western blotting. Also, caspase-3 activity was measured. In rats, I/R caused an increase in apoptotic markers, transaminases, and TBARS and a decrease in GSH and Akt activation. Levosimendan administration was able to counteract oxidative damage and apoptosis in a dose-dependent way and to increase GSH, Akt, and eNOS activation. All effects of levosimendan were abolished by pretreatment with L-NAME and 5HD. In conclusion, the results of the present study show that levosimendan can exert protection against ischemic liver damage through mechanisms related to NO production and mitoKATP channel function. These data provide interesting perspectives into the use of levosimendan in hepatic surgery and transplantation.
authors.affiliation: Physiology Laboratory, Department of Translational Medicine, A. Avogadro University of East Piedmont, Novara, Italy; Experimental Surgery, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Maggiore della Carità, Novara, Italy.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Grossini
authors.forename: Piero
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pollesello
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bellofatto
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sigaudo
authors.forename: Serena
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Farruggio
authors.forename: Veronica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Origlia
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mombello
authors.forename: David A S G
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Mary
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Valente
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vacca
mesh_terms: D000758:Anesthesia; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D001706:Biopsy; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D002470:Cell Survival; D003652:Decanoic Acids / Q000737:chemistry; D005978:Glutathione / Q000737:chemistry; D006835:Hydrazones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006880:Hydroxy Acids / Q000737:chemistry; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology*; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester / Q000737:chemistry; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000737:chemistry; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III / Q000378:metabolism; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D010726:Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry; D011169:Portal Vein / Q000473:pathology; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000737:chemistry; D011724:Pyridazines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000628:therapy*; D000077464:Simendan; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / Q000737:chemistry; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C494828:Bax protein, rat; D003652:Decanoic Acids; D006835:Hydrazones; D006880:Hydroxy Acids; D010726:Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors; D015221:Potassium Channels; D011724:Pyridazines; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D000077464:Simendan; C052853:5-hydroxydecanoic acid; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; C496316:Nos3 protein, rat; C505410:Casp3 protein, rat; D053148:Caspase 3; D005978:Glutathione; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester