Protective effect of 17-beta-estradiol on liver ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats and its mechanism

Objective To investigate the protective effect of 17-beta-estradiol on liver ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury in rat model and explore its possible mechanism. Methods Ninety-six healthy male SD rats were randomized into 2 groups. The rats in group A received only hepatic ischemia and reperfusion and those in group B underwent intraperitoneal injection of 4 000 μg/kg 17-beta-estradiol 1 h before I/R injury. The serum levels of ALT, AST, LDH and TNF-α were determined in both groups at 1 h, 2 h, 4 h, 1 d, 3 d, 5 d and 7d after liver reperfusion and before hepatic ischemia and compared between the 2 groups. Results At 1 h, 2 h, 4 h, 1 d, 3 d and 5 d after liver reperfusion, the serum levels of ALT, AST, LDH and TNF-α were significantly higher in group A than in group B. Conclusions 17-beta-estradiol can significantly protect liver from I/R injury. The mechanism of this protection might be related to decrease in serum level of TNF-α.