Hepatocyte apoptosis induced by hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury in cirrhotic rats

To investigate whether hepatocyte apoptosis in hepatic ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury is mediated by Fas pathway.

Fas-mRNA expression detected by in situ hybridization assay, caspase-3 activity measured by fluorescence spectrophotometer, and hepatocyte apoptosis detected by TUNEL assay were compared in different I/R conditions between cirrhotic and normal rats. The relationship was analyzed between hepatocyte apoptosis, Fas-mRNA expression, and caspase-3 activity.

In cirrhotic rats, Fas-mRNA expression and caspase-3 activity were significantly increased when the ischemic time prolonged, and subsequently, hepatocyte apoptosis was increased (P<0.01). Under the same I/R condition, the Fas-mRNA expression, caspase-3 activity and hepatocyte apoptosis in cirrhotic liver were significantly higher than those in normal liver (P<0.01).

Hepatocyte apoptosis in hepatic I/R injury might be mediated by Fas pathway. The possible underlying mechanism that cirrhotic liver is more sensitive to ischemic injury than normal liver is alteration of Fas expression level.