Phenylephrine protects autotransplanted rabbit submandibular gland from apoptosis

Area of Science:

• Surgical Innovation
• Ophthalmology
• Cell Biology

Background:

• Submandibular gland (SMG) autotransplantation effectively treats severe keratoconjunctivitis sicca.
• Previous research indicated phenylephrine mitigates structural injury and enhances cell proliferation in transplanted SMG.
• The precise mechanism of phenylephrine's protective effect against SMG injury remained unelucidated.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the anti-apoptotic effects of phenylephrine on autotransplanted rabbit SMG.
• To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying phenylephrine's cytoprotective action in early-stage SMG transplantation.

Main Methods:

• Apoptosis assessment in early-phase SMG transplantation.
• Evaluation of phenylephrine's impact on apoptosis markers.
• Analysis of Bcl-2, Bax, caspase-3, and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase expression and activation.

Main Results:

• Apoptosis was observed in the early stages of SMG transplantation.
• Phenylephrine treatment significantly reduced apoptosis in transplanted SMG.
• Phenylephrine upregulated Bcl-2, downregulated Bax, and inhibited caspase-3 and p38 MAPK activation.

Conclusions:

• Phenylephrine exhibits significant cytoprotective effects against apoptosis in autotransplanted SMG.
• The mechanism involves modulation of Bcl-2/Bax ratio and inhibition of caspase-3 and p38 MAPK pathways.
• Phenylephrine represents a potential novel clinical strategy for protecting SMG during early postoperative transplantation.