Ischemic preconditioning induces autophagy and limits necrosis in human recipients of fatty liver grafts, decreasing the incidence of rejection episodes

Whether ischemic preconditioning (IP) reduces ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in human normal and fatty livers remains controversial. We compared two independent groups of liver donor transplants with versus without steatosis to evaluate IP consequences. Liver donors with (n=22) or without (n=28) steatosis either did or did not undergo IP before graft retrieval. Clinical data from the recipients, as well as histological and immunohistological characteristics of post-reperfusion biopsies were analyzed. Incidence of post-reperfusion necrosis was increased (10/10 versus 9/14, respectively; P<0.05) and the clinical outcome of recipients was worse for non-IP steatotic liver grafts compared with non-IP non-steatotic grafts. IP significantly lowered the transaminase values only in patients receiving a non-steatotic liver. An increased expression of beclin-1 and LC3, two pro-autophagic proteins, tended to decrease the incidence of necrosis (P=0.067) in IP steatotic livers compared with non-IP steatotic group. IP decreased the incidence of acute and chronic rejection episodes in steatotic livers (2/12 versus 6/10; P=0.07 and 2/12 versus 7/10; P<0.05, respectively), but not in non-steatotic livers. Thus, IP may induce autophagy in human steatotic liver grafts and reduce rejection in their recipients.     

Manipulation of autophagy by MIR375 generates antitumor effects in liver cancer

The exploration into the roles of autophagy in tumorigenesis, either as tumor suppressor or tumor promoter, has led to a great increase in the knowledge of cancer development, progression and treatment. However, there is currently no consensus on how to manipulate autophagy to improve antitumor effects. In this study, we investigated the role of autophagy in established liver cancer cells in response to hypoxia. Hypoxia not only is the most pervasive microenvironmental stress in solid tumors but is also a canonical stimulus for autophagy. The involvement of dysregulated microRNAs in hypoxia-induced autophagy and their therapeutic potential in advanced liver cancer were examined.     

海马神经元缺血/再灌注后自噬的表达及其作用

目的：研究自噬在大鼠海马神经元缺血缺氧/再灌注过程中的表达及自噬在神经元缺血缺氧/再灌注损伤中的作用。方法：原代培养的大鼠海马神经元经2 h的氧糖剥夺和不同时段的再灌注处理,MTT法检测细胞活性,透射电镜下检测自噬的特异性结构,免疫荧光化学法检测自噬特异性蛋白微管相关蛋白1轻链3（LC3B）的表达。应用自噬抑制剂3-甲基腺嘌呤（3-MA）检测神经元的活性。结果：经氧糖剥夺/再灌注后,海马神经元的活性比未经氧糖剥夺/再灌注组显著地降低。透射电镜和免疫荧光检测,未经氧糖剥夺/再灌注的神经元自噬的发生率极低,氧糖剥夺后和再灌注的不同时间段,均有自噬的发生。应用自噬抑制剂3-MA阻断自噬后,神经元的存活率显著降低。结论：缺血缺氧/再灌注能激活海马神经元的自噬,并可能在缺血缺氧/再灌注过程中起对抗损伤的作用。     

吸入一氧化碳防治肢体缺血／再灌注所致肝脏损伤的实验研究

目的：观察吸入外源性一氧化碳（CO）对肢体缺血／再灌注（I／R）所致肝脏损伤的防治作用。方法：健康SD大鼠100只,随机分为假手术（S）、假手术吸入CO（SC）、I／R、I／R吸入CO（RC）组。通过夹闭股动脉4h、再开放6—72h、10d复制肢体L／R致肝脏损伤模型。S、I／R组吸入普通医用空气,SC、RC组吸入含CO（体积分数为0．05％）的医用空气。光镜观察肝组织病理学变化,全自动生化分析仪检测血谷丙转氨酶（GPT）,流式细胞仪检测肝细胞凋亡百分比及bax、bcl-2的表达水平。结果：S组与SC组比较,各项观察指标无显著差别;与SC组比较,I/R及RC组肝组织呈病理改变,血清GPT及肝细胞凋亡百分比明显升高;I／R组肝细胞bax蛋白的表达水平明显升高。和L／R组相比。RC组肝组织损伤程度减轻,血清GPT、肝细胞凋亡百分比及bax蛋白的表达水平明显降低,而肝细胞bcl-2蛋白的表达水平显著升高。结论：吸入适量外源性CO对肢体I／R所致肝脏损伤有防治效应。     

自噬在HBV感染发病机制中的作用

自噬是一种新陈代谢过程,通过溶酶体降解受损蛋白质和细胞器来维持细胞内环境的稳态.乙型肝炎病毒(hepatitis B virus,HBV)能利用自噬功能增强其复制的能力,引起肝炎、肝硬化以及肝细胞癌(hepatocellular carcinoma,HCC).本文将从HBV相关蛋白、内质网应激、信号通路、细胞因子、微小...     

细胞自噬在大鼠肺缺血/再灌注引发肝脏损伤中的作用*

目的: 探讨肺缺血/再灌注(LI/R)时肝脏损伤的影响,并初步探索细胞自噬(Autophagy)在其中发挥的作用。方法: 构建大鼠缺血/再灌注肺损伤(LI/RI)模型,模型制备方法为大鼠麻醉后切开气管进行机械通气,使用动脉夹将肺门夹闭模拟缺血过程,30 min后松开动脉夹,恢复灌注3 h。24只大鼠随机分为伪手术组(Sham组)、缺血/再灌注组(I/R组)、溶剂组(DMSO组)和自噬抑制剂组(3-MA组),每组均6只,后2组大鼠术前分别腹腔注射DMSO和3-MA,造模结束后使用肺湿/干重比判断造模是否成功;抽取静脉血测定肝脏转氨酶指标ALT与AST;取肝脏组织,光镜下观察肝脏形态改变,以及电镜下观察肝细胞超微结构;使用RT-qPCR和Western blot实验分别检测肝脏组织细胞中自噬相关蛋白的基因mRNA表达水平和蛋白表达水平。结果: 与Sham组相比,其余各组肺湿/干重比均升高;血AST和ALT均有大幅升高且肝脏组织损伤明显,其中以I/R组升高最为明显,光镜下组织形态学及电镜下细胞微细结构均有不同程度的破坏;肝脏中自噬相关蛋白的基因表达水平与蛋白表达水平均有明显不同,表现为自噬上升 (P＜0.01或P＜0.05)。I/R组和DMSO组肝脏组织均有较重损伤,肝细胞结构破坏严重,自噬小体形成,而AST、ALT、自噬相关蛋白转录和表达水平等各项指标均无统计学差异(P＞0.05)。而相较于DMSO组,3-MA组肝脏组织损伤有所减轻,肝细胞微细结构损伤程度低,且无自噬小体形成,血中AST和ALT下降,肝脏组织内自噬水平均下降 (P＜0.05)。结论: 肺缺血/再灌注可引起大鼠肝损伤;细胞自噬可介导大鼠肺缺血/再灌注引起的肝损伤,抑制细胞自噬可以有效减轻大鼠LI/R引起的肝损伤。     

Effect of adenosine A2A receptor agonist (CGS) on ischemia/reperfusion injury in isolated rat liver

Ischemia/reperfusion injury during liver transplantation is a major cause of primary nonfunctioning graft for which there is no effective treatment other than retransplantation. Adenosine prevents ischemia-reperfusion-induced hepatic injury via its A2A receptors. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of A2A receptor agonist on apoptotic ischemia/reperfusion-induced hepatic injury in rats. Isolated rat livers within University of Wisconsin solution were randomly divided into four groups: (1) continuous perfusion of Krebs-Henseleit solution through the portal vein for 165 minutes (control); (2) 30-minute perfusion followed by 120 minutes of ischemia and 15 minutes of reperfusion; (3) like group 2, but with the administration of CGS 21680, an A2A receptor agonist, 30 microg/100 ml, for 1 minute before ischemia; (4) like group 3, but with administration of SCH 58261, an A2A receptor antagonist. Serum liver enzyme levels were measured by biochemical analysis, and intrahepatic caspase-3 activity was measured by fluorometric assay; apoptotic cells were identified by morphological criteria, the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) fluorometric assay, and immunohistochemistry for caspase-3. Results showed that at 1 minute of reperfusion, there was a statistically significant reduction in liver enzyme levels in the animals pretreated with CGS (p < 0.05). On fluorometric assay, caspase-3 activity was significantly decreased in group 3 compared to group 2 (p < 0.0002). The reduction in postischemic apoptotic hepatic injury in the CGS-treated group was confirmed morphologically, by the significantly fewer apoptotic hepatocyte cells detected (p < 0.05); immunohistochemically, by the significantly weaker activation of caspase-3 compared to the ischemic group (p < 0.05); and by the TUNEL assay (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the administration of A2A receptor agonist before induction of ischemia can attenuate postischemic apoptotic hepatic injury and thereby minimize liver injury. Apoptotic hepatic injury seems to be mediated through caspase-3 activity.     

细胞自噬在大鼠缺血/再灌注肺损伤中的调控作用

目的: 探讨细胞自噬在大鼠缺血/再灌注肺损伤中的作用。方法: 随机将40只SD大鼠分为5组(n=8),分别为 ① 假手术组(Sham组):只开胸3.5 h;② 缺血/再灌注组(I/R组):开胸夹闭肺门缺血0.5 h后再灌注3 h;③ 溶剂组(DMSO组):术前1 h腹腔注射DMSO溶液;④自噬激动剂组(Rap组):术前腹腔注射雷帕霉素溶液;⑤自噬抑制剂组(3-MA组):术前1 h腹腔注射3-MA溶液;后三组的其余操作同I/R组。实验结束后处死大鼠,取肺组织,记录并计算肺组织湿/干重比(W/D)、总肺含水量变化(TLW) ,光镜和电镜观察肺组织及细胞形态,计算肺泡损伤率(IAR),Western blot检测自噬相关蛋白的表达情况。结果: 相对于sham组,其余四组肺W/D、TLW、IAR均明显升高,自噬相关蛋白表达明显上升,p-AMPK、Beclin 1、LC3 II 蛋白明显增多,p-mTOR、p62蛋白明显减少(P＜0.05或P＜0.01),光镜下其余各组肺组织有不同程度的水肿渗出,肺泡结构紊乱,电镜下细胞超微结构损伤加重,部分可见自噬小体;与DMSO组相比,3-MA组肺W/D、TLW、IAR明显下降(P＜0.05或P＜0.01),自噬相关蛋白表达明显下降,肺间质水肿较轻,细胞渗出较少,细胞超微结构损伤减轻,未见自噬小体。而I/R、DMSO、Rap组的各项指标变化无统计学差异(P＞0.05)。结论: 肺缺血/再灌注可诱发细胞自噬增强,从而引起大鼠肺损伤。     

大鼠肢体缺血/再灌注后肝脏iNOS表达的变化及其意义

目的:探讨肢体缺血/再灌注(I/R)致肝损伤时肝组织iNOS表达的变化及其意义.方法:夹闭大鼠双侧股动脉根部4 h、开放2～24 h,制备肢体I/R模型.RT-PCR检测肝组织iNOSmRNA表达的改变,免疫组化染色法观察iNOS蛋白及过氧亚硝基阴离子(ONOO-)的生成与分布,比色法测定肝组织MDA含量及SOD活性;对肢体I-R大鼠用氨基胍抑制iNOS活性后,观察其肝组织的病理学变化.结果:肢体I-R后,肝组织iNOS mRNA的表达水平较对照组显著上调(P＜0.05),肝组织内出现大量iNOS及ONOO-阳性肝细胞,肝组织MDA含量升高及SOD活性降低均与对照组有显著性差异(P＜0.01).应用氨基胍抑制iNOS活性,使肢体I-R所致肝组织病变减轻.结论:肢体I/R后,肝组织iNOSmRNA及蛋白表达显著上调,所诱生的高浓度NO参与介导了肢体I/R引发的肝脏损伤.     

大鼠肢体缺血/再灌注后肝脏 HO-1表达的变化及其意义

目的:探讨肢体缺血/再灌注(I/R)致肝脏损伤时肝组织诱导型血红素氧合酶(HO-1)表达的变化及其意义.方法:夹闭大鼠双侧股动脉根部4 h、开放2～24 h,制备肢体I/R模型.RT-PCR检测肝组织HO-1 mRNA表达的变化,免疫组化染色法观察HO-1蛋白在肝内的生成与分布.对肢体I/R大鼠应用锌原卟啉抑制其体内HO-1活性后,光镜观察其肝组织的病理变化.结果:肢体I/R后肝组织HO-1 mRNA的表达水平显著高于各对照组,再灌12 h表达至峰值,至再灌24 h仍显著高于各对照组(P＜0.01).肢体I/R组肝组织内出现大量弥散分布的HO-1阳性肝细胞,抑制HO-1活性,使肢体I/R组肝组织损伤明显加重.结论:肢体I/R损伤可诱导肝细胞HO-1基因表达上调,所诱生的HO-1对肝细胞具有保护效应.     

Cathepsin B inactivation attenuates the apoptotic injury induced by ischemia/reperfusion of mouse liver

Background: A major mechanism underlying warm ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury during liver transplantation is the activation of the caspase chain, which leads to apoptosis. Recently, it was demonstrated that the release of cathepsin B, a cysteine protease, from the cytosol in liver injury induces mitochondrial release of cytochrome c and the activation of caspase-3 and -9, thereby leading to apoptosis. The aim of this study was to ascertain if cathepsin B inactivation attenuates the apoptotic injury due to I/R in mouse liver. Methods: A model of segmental (70%) hepatic ischemia was used. Eighteen mice were anesthetized and randomly divided into three groups: (1) Control group: sham operation (laparotomy); (2) Ischemic group: midline laparotomy followed by occlusion of all structures in the portal triad to the left and median lobes for 60 min (ischemic period); (3) Study group: like group 2, but with intraperitoneal administration of a pharmacological inhibitor of cathepsin B (4 mg/100 g) 30 min before induction of ischemia. Serum liver enzyme levels were measured by biochemical analysis, and intrahepatic caspase-3 activity was measured by fluorometric assay; apoptotic cells were identified by morphological criteria, the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) fluorometric assay, and immunohistochemistry for caspase-3. Results: Showed that at 6 h of reperfusion, there was a statistically significant reduction in liver enzyme levels in the animals pretreated with cathepsin B inhibitor (p < 0.05). On fluorometric assay, caspase-3 activity was significantly decreased in group 3 compared to group 2 (p < 0.0001). The reduction in postischemic apoptotic hepatic injury in the cathepsin B inhibitor -treated group was confirmed morphologically, by the significantly fewer apoptotic hepatocyte cells detected (p < 0.05); immunohistochemically, by the significantly weaker activation of caspase-3 compared to the ischemic group (p < 0.05); and by the TUNEL assay (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The administration of cathepsin B inhibitor before induction of ischemia can attenuate postischemic hepatocyte apoptosis and thereby minimize liver damage. Apoptotic hepatic injury seems to be mediated through caspase-3 activity. These findings have important implications for the potential use of cathepsin B inhibitors in I/R injury during liver transplantation.     

miRNA——肝病治疗的新靶点

tMicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs involved in regulating cellular proliferation, differentiation and signaling pathways. Recent researches reveal that miRNAs also play an important role in genes related to hepatic diseases. The different expression profiles of miRNA in hepatocellular carcinoma suggested that miRNA might serve as either novel potential targets acting directly as oncogenes or therapeutic molecular targets working as tumor suppressor genes. For better understanding the relationship between miRNAs and liver diseases and the prospects for therapy in future, this review summarizes the effects of miRNAs on hepatitis, alcohol induced liver injury and hepatocellular carcinoma.     

热休克蛋白A5介导的自噬在小鼠脑缺血/再灌注损伤中的作用

目的：探讨热休克蛋白A5（HSPA5）诱导的自噬在小鼠脑缺血/再灌注损伤中的作用。方法：将36只BALB/c小鼠随机分为sham、缺血再灌注（I/R）、vehicle + I/R、3-甲基腺嘌呤（3-MA） + I/R、scramble siRNA + I/R和HSPA5 siRNA + I/R组（n=6）。Sham组只进行手术操作,不插入线栓。I/R采用大脑中动脉阻塞（MCAO）60 min后再灌注24 h。Vehicle + I/R组和3-MA + I/R将5μl 0.9% NaCl或3-MA （30 mg/ml）在MCAO前30 min侧脑室注射。scramble siRNA + I/R组和HSPA5 siRNA + I/R组将5μl scramble siRNA或HSPA5 siRNA （2μg/μl）在MCAO前24 h侧脑室注射。检测神经细胞内自噬体、缺血大脑皮层（LC3）-Ⅱ/LC3-I表达、神经元损伤程度及神经功能缺损。结果：显微镜下sham组小鼠大脑皮层神经细胞形态正常;I/R组小鼠缺血大脑皮层神经元胞质中细胞器减少,自噬体形成。与sham组比较,I/R组缺血大脑皮层LC3-Ⅱ/LC3-I蛋白表达水平显著增高（P < 0.05）;与I/R组相比,3-MA + I/R组或HSPA5 siRNA + I/R组缺血大脑皮层LC3-Ⅱ/LC3-I蛋白表达明显减少（P < 0.05）;3-MA + I/R组及HSPA5 siR-NA + I/R组I/R后脑缺血性损伤及神经系统症状加重（P < 0.05）。结论：HSPA5诱导自噬可能在小鼠局灶性I/R损伤中发挥保护作用。     

大鼠肢体缺血预处理对肝缺血/再灌注损伤的保护作用

目的：研究肢体缺血预处理对大鼠肝缺血/再灌注损伤是否具有保护作用。方法：雄性SD大鼠32只,随机分为对照组（S组）;缺血/再灌注组（I/R组）;经典缺血预处理组（IPC组）;肢体缺血预处理组（远端缺血预处理组,RPC组）。S组仅行开腹,不作其他处理;IPC组以肝缺血5min作预处理;RPC组以双后肢缺血5min,反复3次作预处理,2个预处理组及I/R组均行肝缺血1h再灌注3h。取血用于血清谷丙转氨酶（ALT）与血清谷草转氨酶（AST）检测。切取肝组织用于测定湿干比（W/D）、中性粒细胞（PMN）计数及观察显微、超微结构的变化。结果：与I/R组比较,IPC组,RPC组ALT,AST,W/D值,及PMN计数均明显降低（P〈0.01）,肝脏的显微及超微结构损伤减轻。结论：肢体缺血预处理对大鼠肝脏I/R损伤有明显的保护作用,强度与经典缺血预处理相当,其机制可能与抑制肝脏炎症反应、减轻肝脏水肿、改善肝组织微循环有关。     

Critical role of autophage in ischemia/reperfusion injury to aged livers

A steady increase in life expectancy has resulted in an equivalent increase in elderly patients who are more susceptible to diseases than young patients. In a recent study, we found that in both in vitro and in vivo models of ischemia/reperfusion (I/R), a loss of ATG4B is causatively associated with the increased sensitivity of the liver to I/R injury with age. Our work suggests that a restoration or enhancement of autophagy is a novel therapeutic modality to ameliorate liver function after I/R to aged livers.     

The yin and yang of autophagy in acute kidney injury

Antagonizing the strongly activated pathway of autophagy in renal ischemic injury has been associated with poor outcome. In our recent study we used mice with a selective deletion of Atg5 in the S3 proximal tubule segment, which is most susceptible to ischemic damage. In line with the notion that autophagy is a prosurvival mechanism our studies revealed an early accelerated cell death of heavily damaged tubular cells in the S3 segment of these mice. Interestingly, this expedited loss of cells was associated with better long-term outcome as reflected by less inflammation, improved tubular repair, and function and reduced accumulation of senescent cells. While these data confirm the role of tubular autophagy as a prosurvival mechanism in ischemic kidney injury, they also show that autophagy may enable severely damaged cells to persist and exert deleterious effects. Such ambivalent effects might be of relevance if modulating autophagy is considered as a therapeutic option.     

Acute induction of autophagy as a novel strategy for cardioprotection

There is no question that necrosis and apoptosis contribute to cardiomyocyte death in the setting of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion. Indeed, considerable effort and resources have been invested in the development of novel therapies aimed at attenuating necrotic and apoptotic cell death, with the ultimate goal of applying these strategies to reduce infarct size and improve outcome in patients suffering acute myocardial infarction (MI) or ‘heart attack’. However, an issue that remains controversial is the role of autophagy in determining the fate of ischemic-reperfused cardiomyocytes: i.e., is induction of autophagy detrimental or protective? Recent data from our group obtained in the clinically relevant, in vivo swine model of acute MI provide novel evidence of a positive association between pharmacological upregulation of autophagy (achieved by administration of chloramphenicol succinate (CAPS)) and increased resistance to myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury.