Epigallocatechin-3-gallate-induced protection against liver ischemia-reperfusion injury in the mouse

To investigate the protection against ischemia-reperfusion injury by Epigallocatechin-3-gallate(EGCG)in vivo,18 male Balb/c mice were randomly divided into three groups(n=6):the sham-operation group(Sham group),the ischemia-reperfusion group(I/R group)and the EGCG pretreated I/R group(EGCG)group.The mice were sacrificed at the end of reperfusion,and serum levels of alanine aminotransferase(ALT),aspartate aminotransferase(AST)were measured.HE staining was used to observe the changes of the hepatic histopathology,and immunohistochemistry was applied to examine the protein levels of NF-κB P65 and TLR4.The results showed that,serum levels of ALT and AST in the EGCG group were higher than those in the sham group,but significantly lower than those of the I/R group(P0.05).Histological examination showed that,the injury of the left lob of the liver was less severe in the EGCG group than that in the I/R group,but more severe than that in the sham group.In addition,the histoimmunological examination demonstrated that,when the expression of TLR4 and NF-κB P65 at the protein level was compared among the 3groups,it was shown that the EGCG group was higher than that of the sham group,but lower than that of the I/R group.All together,these findings suggest that EGCG can protect against hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury in the mouse.The mechanism(s)underlying these effects of EGCG may involve the production of inflammatory factors NF-κB P65 and TLR4expression.