PI 3-kinase pathway is responsible for antiapoptotic effects of atrial natriuretic peptide in rat liver transplantation

Figure 1 Effect of ANP pretreatment on apoptotic cell death after 24 h ischemia. Animals received an intravenous infusion of NaCl (Co) or ANP (5 µg/kg) for 20 min and livers were kept in cold UW-solution for 24 h. A: Caspase-3 activity: Snap-frozen tissue was homogenized and caspase-3 like activity was determined as described. Data were expressed as percentage of caspase-3 activity in untreated livers (100%). Columns show mean ± SE, n = 4 animals in each group. ^bP < 0.01 vs Nacl treatment. B: TUNEL assay: Snap-frozen tissue was cut into 6 µm slices. TUNEL staining was performed as described and apoptotic liver cells per field of view (1.96 mm²) were counted. Results were expressed as means ± SE, n = 4 in each group. ^aP < 0.05 vs Nacl treatment.