The inhibition of aldose reductase attenuates hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury through reducing inflammatory response.
OBJECTIVE
We aim to investigate the role of aldose reductase (AR) in hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) of normal and fatty livers and to explore the underlying mechanisms.


BACKGROUND
Hepatic IRI is a typical inflammatory response during liver surgery. It contributes to liver graft failure or nonfunction after transplantation. Increasing evidence implicates that AR plays a key role in a number of inflammatory diseases. However, the role of AR in hepatic IRI is still unknown.


METHODS
Intragraft AR expression profile and the association with liver graft injury were investigated in both human and rat liver transplantation using normal or fatty graft. The direct role of AR in hepatic IRI was studied in the AR knockout mice IRI model with or without fatty liver. They were further validated by the simulated IRI in vitro model using fatty LO2 cells with or without AR inhibitor zopolrestat and primary peritoneal macrophages isolated from AR knockout and wild-type mice. Gene expression of inflammatory cytokines/chemokines, the infiltration of macrophages/neutrophils, and NF-κB pathway activation were compared among different groups.


RESULTS
AR was overexpressed in liver graft after human and rat liver transplantation and correlated with consequent liver injuries. The knockout of AR significantly attenuated hepatic sinusoidal damage and apoptosis in both normal and fatty livers after IRI. The expression of proinflammatory cytokines/chemokines and neutrophil chemoattractants, infiltration of macrophage and neutrophil, and activation of inflammation-associated NF-κB and JNK pathway were downregulated in AR knockout mice. Furthermore, the inhibition of AR effectively suppressed macrophage migration and decreased lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced production of proinflammatory cytokines/chemokines in isolated macrophages.


CONCLUSIONS
The deficiency of AR attenuated hepatic IRI in both normal and fatty livers by reducing liver inflammatory responses.
Departments of *Surgery and †Anatomy, Centre for Cancer Research, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
Chang Xian
CX
Li
Kevin Tak-Pan
KT
Ng
Yan
Y
Shao
Xiao Bing
XB
Liu
Chang Chun
CC
Ling
Yuen Yuen
YY
Ma
Wei
W
Geng
Xiang
X
Qi
Qiao
Q
Cheng
Sookja K
SK
Chung
Chung Mau
CM
Lo
Kwan
K
Man
D000449:Aldehyde Reductase / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002460:Cell Line; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D007249:Inflammation / Q000201:enzymology; D008099:Liver / Q000098:blood supply / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000601:surgery*; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008264:Macrophages / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D051381:Rats; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000378:metabolism*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
D000449:Aldehyde Reductase