Effect of intervention for mast cell function before reperfusion on intestinal ischemia-reperfusion-induced early liver injury in rats

AIM：To explore the effect of intervention for mast cell function before reperfusion on intestinal ischemia-reperfusion (IR)-induced early liver injury. METHODS：Adult SD rats (n=35) were randomized into 5 groups with 7 rats each: sham operation group (S group), IR group, cromolyn sodium treatment group (IR+C group, 25 mg/kg), ketotifen treatment group (IR+K group, 1 mg/kg), compound 48/80 treatment group (IR+CP group, 0.75 mg/kg). IR was induced by superior mesenteric artery occlusion for 75 min followed by 4 h of reperfusion. The agents were intravenously administered 5 min before reperfusion. The serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and histamine, and the liver levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin-8 (IL-8), malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were assessed. The liver histopathologic changes were also evaluated. RESULTS：IR resulted in severe liver injury as demonstrated by great increases in injury scores, concomitant significant increases in serum levels of AST, ALT and histamine, and liver levels of LDH, TNF-α, IL-8, and MDA, accompanied by reduced SOD activity (all P<0.05 vs S group). Treatment with cromolyn sodium or ketotifen markedly alleviated IR-mediated liver injury as confirmed by significant reduction of the above biomedical changes, whereas compound 48/80 further aggravated liver injury by dramatically enhancing the biomedical changes (all P<0.05 vs IR group). CONCLUSION：Inhibition of mast cell function before reperfusion may reduce early liver injury induced by intestinal ischemia reperfusion. Histamine, oxidative stress and inflammatory response may provide promising effects on it.