Protective effect of N-acetylserotonin against acute hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury in mice

Int J Mol Sci. 2013 Aug 29;14(9):17680-93. doi: 10.3390/ijms140917680.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the possible protective effect of N-acetylserotonin (NAS) against acute hepatic ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury in mice. Adult male mice were randomly divided into three groups: sham, I/R, and I/R + NAS. The hepatic I/R injury model was generated by clamping the hepatic artery, portal vein, and common bile duct with a microvascular bulldog clamp for 30 min, and then removing the clamp and allowing reperfusion for 6 h. Morphologic changes and hepatocyte apoptosis were evaluated by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining, respectively. Activated caspase-3 expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry and Western blot. The activation of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), malondialdehyde (MDA), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) was evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The data show that NAS rescued hepatocyte morphological damage and dysfunction, decreased the number of apoptotic hepatocytes, and reduced caspase-3 activation. Our work demonstrates that NAS ameliorates hepatic IR injury.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Aspartate Aminotransferases / blood
  • Blotting, Western
  • Caspase 3 / metabolism
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • In Situ Nick-End Labeling
  • Liver / drug effects*
  • Liver / injuries
  • Liver / metabolism*
  • Male
  • Malondialdehyde / blood
  • Mice
  • Reperfusion Injury / drug therapy*
  • Reperfusion Injury / metabolism*
  • Serotonin / analogs & derivatives*
  • Serotonin / therapeutic use
  • Superoxide Dismutase / blood

Substances

  • Serotonin
  • Malondialdehyde
  • Superoxide Dismutase
  • Aspartate Aminotransferases
  • Caspase 3
  • N-acetylserotonin