Effects of ischemic postconditioning on mitochondrial permeability transition and mitochondrial transmembrane potential following hepatic ischemia-reperfusion in rats

Objective To investigate the effects of ischemic postconditioning on mitochondrial permeability transition and mitochondrial transmembrane potential(△Ψm)following hepatic ischemia-reperfusion(I/R)in rats.Methods Forty male SD rats weighing 220-260 g were randomly divided into 5 groups with 8 animals in each group:sham operation group(group S);atractyloside+sham operation group(group A+S);I/R group;ischemic postconditioning group(group IPO)and atractyloside+ischemic postconditioning group(group A+IPO).The animals were anesthetized with intramuscular injection of atropine 0.05 mg/kg.Hepatic I/R was produced by occlusion of hepatic blood flow for 60 min followed by 6 h reperfusion.In group A+S,atractyloside 5 mg/kg was injected intravenously before abdomen Was closed.In group IPO,the animals were subjected to 3 cycles of 1 min reperfusion interspersed with 1 min hepatic isehemia at the end of 60 min hepatic ischemia.In group A+IPO,atractyloside 5 mg/kg was injected intravenously before reperfusion. Venous blood samples were collected for determination of serum ALT and AST activities immediately before ischemia and at 6 h of reperfusion. The animals were then sacrificed.Their livers were removed for microscopic examination, detection of apoptosis and determination of cytochrome c (Cyt c) expression, △Ψm and mitochonerial permeability transition pore (MPTP)activity. Apoptosis index (AI) was calculated. Results There was no significant difference in serum ALT and AST activities, AI, Cyt c expression, △Ψm and MPTP activity between S and A + S groups (P＞0.05). Compared with group S, serum ALT and AST activities and AI were significantly increased, Cyt c expression was up-regulated, △Ψm was decreased and MPTP activity was increased in groups I/R, IPO and A+IPO(P＜0.05).Compared with group I/R, serum ALT and AST activities and AI were significantly decreased,Cyt c expression was down-regulated, △Ψm was increased and MPTP activity was decreased in group IPO(P＜0.05), while no significant change was found in group A+IPO(P＞0.05).Compared with group IPO,serum ALT and AST activities and AI were significantly increased, Cyt c expression was up-regulated, △Ψm was decreased and MPTP activity was increased in group A + IPO(P＜ 0.05).Microscopic examination showed that hepatic injury was reduced in group IPO compared with group I/R, while aggravated in group A+ IPO compared with group IPO. Conclusion Ischemic postconditioning can protect liver from I/R injury by attenuating the I/R-induced increase in MPTP opening and decrease in △Ψm in rats. Key words: Reperfusion injury; Mitochondria,liver;  Cell membrane permeability;  Membrane potentials;  Ischemic postconditioning