Aim: To investigate the structural and biochemical changes in the early stage of reperfusion in the rat livers exposed to lobar ischemia-reperfusion (IR).
Methods: The median and left lobes of the liver were subjected to 60 min ischemia followed by 5, 10, 30, 45, 60 and 120 min reperfusion. Blood samples were taken at different time intervals to test enzyme activities and biochemical alterations induced by reperfusion. At the end of each reperfusion period, the animals were killed by euthanasia and tissue samples were taken for histological examination and immunohistochemistry.
Results: Cell vacuolation, bleb formation and focal hepatitis were the most important changes occur during ischemia. While some changes including bleb formation were removed during reperfusion, other alterations including portal hepatitis, inflammation and the induction of apoptosis were seen during this stage. The occurrence of apoptosis, as demonstrated by apoptotic cells and bodies, was the most important histological change during reperfusion. The severity of apoptosis was dependent on the time of reperfusion, and by increasing the time of reperfusion, the numbers of apoptotic bodies was significantly enhanced. The amounts of lactate dehydrogenase, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, creatinine and urea were significantly increased in serum obtained from animals exposed to hepatic IR.
Conclusion: Inflammation and subsequent apoptotic cell death were the most important changes in early-stage hepatic reperfusion injury, and the number of apoptotic bodies increased with time of reperfusion.