The effects of thyroid hormone modulation on rat liver injury associated with ischemia-reperfusion and cold storage

Roberto Imberti, Mariapia Vairetti, Maria Rita Gualea, Fausto Feletti, Giuseppe Poma, Plinio Richelmi, Ivano Preseglio, Giorgio Bellomo

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

We investigated the effects of thyroid hormone modulation on liver injury associated with ischemia-reperfusion (I-R) and cold storage in rats. First, euthyroid and thyroxine (T4)-pretreated rats were exposed in vivo to 20-min global liver ischemia, then 30-min reperfusion. Liver injury was assessed by measuring serum alanine amino-transferase (ALT) levels. Liver concentrations of adenine nucleotides, reduced glutathione (GSH), and oxidized glutathione were evaluated. Second, rats were given the antithyroid drug propylthiouracil (PTU). Livers stored at 0-1°C in Euro-Collins' solution for 20 h were reperfused at 37°C for 15 min. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in the effluent perfusate and bile flow were evaluated during reperfusion. Serum ALT levels increased after ischemia and I-R. ALT increased significantly more in T4-pretreated than in euthyroid rats after ischemia and I-R. Preischemic levels of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) were significantly lower in livers from T4-pretreated than in euthyroid rats (6.22 ± 0.7 and 11 ± 0.9 nmol/mg protein, respectively; P <0.05). After ischemia, liver ATP was similarly reduced in T4-pretreated and euthyroid rats. After reperfusion, ATP partially recovered in euthyroid rats but remained low in T4-pretreated rats (6.7 ± 1.0 and 1.91 ± 0.7 nmol/mg protein, respectively; P <0.05). Preischemic levels of liver GSH decreased to 44% in T4-pretreated rats. After ischemia, GSH decreased similarly in euthyroid and T4-pretreated rats. GSH recovered promptly after reperfusion in euthyroid rats but remained low in T4-pretreated rats (13.9 ± 3.3 and 3.9 ± 0.9 nmol/mg protein, respectively; P <0.02). During reperfusion after cold storage, LDH in effluent perfusate was significantly lower and bile flow higher in livers from PTU-pretreated rats than from euthyroid rats. The histopathological changes observed after I-R and cold storage confirmed the biochemical findings. Our results suggest that T4 administration exacerbates pretransplant liver damage by increasing liver susceptibility to I-R, whereas PTU administration reduces the liver injury associated with cold storage. Implications: We studied the effects of thyroid hormone modulation on liver injury associated with ischemia-reperfusion and cold storage in rats. Thyroxine administration increased susceptibility to ischemia-reperfusion injury, whereas the antithyroid agent propylthiouracil reduced the deleterious effects associated with cold storage.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1187-1193
Number of pages7
JournalAnesthesia and Analgesia
Volume86
Issue number6
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1998

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine

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