Protection against in vivo liver ischemia-reperfusion injury by n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in the rat

Abstract

N-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) affect inflammatory processes. This study evaluated the effects of dietary supplementation with fish oil on hepatic ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury in the rat. Parameters of liver injury (serum transaminases and histology) and oxidative stress (serum 8-isoprostanes and hepatic GSH and GSSG), were correlated with NF-κB DNA binding and FA composition and inflammatory cytokine release. N-3 PUFA supplementation significantly increased liver n-3 PUFA content and decreased n-6/n-3 PUFA ratios. IR significantly modified liver histology and enhanced serum transaminases, 8-isoprotanes and inflammatory cytokines, with net reduction in liver GSH levels and net increment in those of GSSG. Early increase (3 h) and late reduction (20 h) in NF-κB activity was induced. All IR-induced changes were normalized by n-3 PUFA supplementation. In conclusion, prevention of liver IR-injury was achieved by n-3 PUFA supplementation, with suppression of oxidative stress and recovery of pro-inflammatory cytokine homeostasis and NF-κB functionality lost during IR.

Keywords::

• Ischemia-reperfusion injury
• n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid
• liver preconditioning
• oxidative stress
• pro-inflammatory cytokines
• NF-κB activation

Declaration of interest: This work was supported by grant 1080039 from FONDECYT (to V.F.), Chile. The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

This paper was first published online on Early Online on 18 May 2010.