The relationship between severity of ischemia-reperfusion injury and acute rejection after allogene orthotopic liver transplantation in rats

Objective To investigate the relationship between severity of ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) and acute rejection fAR) after allogene orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) in rats.Methods By using random digits table, the rats were divided into sham group (group A) and similargene experiment group (group B), and allogene experiment groups (group C-F) according to warm and cold ischemia time. OLT operations in rats were performed by modified Kamada's cuff technique. The rats were killed at the 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 7th day after graft reperfusion or sham operation respectively. Plasma samples were assessed for the severity of IRI. The liver tissue was paraffin-embedded to examine rat liver histological change (HE) and classify rejection by rejection activity index of Banff. Apoptosis was measured by TUNEL, and the protein and mRNA expression levels of Fas, Perforin and granzyme B detected by using immunohistochemistry and real-time RCR.Results He severity of acute rejection in hepatic tissues of groups A-F was paralleled with the degree of IRI. No rejection occurred in groups A, B and F. The classification of acute rejection by rejection activity index of Banff was paralleled with degree of IRI in groups C-E. There was significant difference in rejection activity index of Banff at difference time points in groups C-E (P<0.05). The mRNA and protein expression levels of Fas, Perforin and granzyme B in the hepatic tissue of groups C-E were higher than in groups A, B and F (P<0.05) at the first, 3rd, 5th, and 7th day after graft reperfusion. There was significant difference in the mRNA and protein expression in hepatic tissue at the same time points among groups C-E (P<0.05). Conclusion The incidence of acute rejection after allogene OLT in rats was paralleled with the severity of IRI The incidence of acute rejection would decreased if the hepatic tissue emerges major injury because of IRI. Key words: Liver transplantation; Reperfusion injury; Graft rejection; Rats