Hypoxia preconditioning protects Ca2+-ATPase activation of intestinal mucosal cells against R/I injury in a rat liver transplantation model

Figure 2 Hypoxia-induced HIF-1α expression increases intestinal cellular mitochondrial integrity and Ca²⁺-ATPase activity after I/R injury. A-C: Pathological changes in intestinal cells are shown (HE, 10 × 20). A: The normal morphology of intestinal cells in the NC group; B: The intestinal cells in the AT group exhibited oedema and red blood cell deposition and blood clots in capillary vessels; the villus epithelial cells were shedding, had severely damaged glands, and had been infiltrated by inflammatory cells; C: The intestinal cells in the HP group exhibited slight oedema and fewer inflammatory cells. The villus epithelial cells were less damaged. D-F: The mitochondrial changes in intestinal cells are shown (× 46000). D: The normal morphology of mitochondria in the NC group; E: The mitochondria in the AT group appeared swollen, round, and degenerated. The visible mitochondrial cristae appeared less fractured or disappeared; F: The mitochondria in the HP group showed less swelling and fewer cristae. The endoplasmic reticulum structure had survived; G: The Ca²⁺-ATPase activity in the AT group was significantly lower compared with the NC group, which decreased to the lowest level at postoperative 2 h (AT group vs NC group: P < 0.05) and then recovered; H: The Ca²⁺-ATPase activity in the HP group was lower after the operation but was significantly higher than that in the AT group at postoperative 2 h (HP group vs AT group: P < 0.05).