Ischemic postconditioning inhibits apoptosis after renal ischemia/reperfusion injury in rat

Ischemic postconditioning is a phenomenon that intermittent interruptions of blood flow in the early phase of reperfusion can protect organ from ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. In the present study, we investigated whether the protective effect of ischemic postconditioning was associated with modulation of apoptosis after renal I/R injury. Rats were subjected to 45 min of renal ischemia, both with and without treatment with ischemic postconditioning. Serum urea nitrogen and creatinine levels, phosphorylation of Akt and ERK1/2 and apoptosis were compared after renal injury. Our data showed that ischemic postconditioning attenuated the renal dysfunction and cell apoptosis induced by I/R and increased phosphorylation of Akt and ERK1/2. The results indicated that ischemic postconditioning decreased apoptosis and improved renal function. This protective effect may be related with the levels of Akt and ERK1/2 activation. These findings may have major implications in the treatment of renal transplantation.