Protective effect of nitric oxide induced by ischemic preconditioning on reperfusion injury of rat liver graft

Figure 1 Survival of recipients in different groups. The donor livers were treated respectively as described in Materials and Methods, and the recipients were divided into control (Contr group), IP-(IP group), adenosine-(Ade group), and NAME-treated groups. The 7-day survival rate was 37.5% (3/8) and 25% (2/8), respectively, in the control group and NAME group, compared with 87.5% (7/8) in both the IP group and adenos-ine group (P < 0.05). The survival curves were calculated using Kaplan-meier‘s methods.

Figure 2 Values of serum ALT in different groups of recipi-ents at 2 hours after ORLT. The ALT levels in control group and NAME group increased significantly compared with IP group and adenosine group. ^aP and ^bP < 0.001, ^cP > 0.05 vs. con-trol group. The values were expressed as means ± SD.

Figure 3 Serum TNF levels measured at 2 hours after ORLT in different recipient groups. In control and NAME groups, the concentrations of serum TNF were elevated significantly as compared to those in IP and adenosine groups. ^aP and ^bP < 0.01, ^cP > 0.05 vs. control group. Values were expressed as means ± SD.

Figure 4 NO levels in serum at 2 hours after ORLT. When the donor livers were pretreated with IP or adenosine, the serum NO levels were elevated significantly. When IP-treatment fol-lowed by administration with NAME, the serum NO concen-tration was as low as that in control group. ^aP and ^bP < 0.001, ^cP > 0.05 vs. control group. Values were expressed as means ± SD.

Figure 5 Adenosine concentrations in liver tissues at 2 hours after ORLT. When the donor livers were pretreated with IP or adenosine, or even the IP-treatment followed NAME, the ad-enosine levels in dry hepatic tissue were elevated as compared to that in control group. ^aP, ^bP and ^cP < 0.05 vs. control group. Results were expressed as means ± SD.