The effects of S-nitrosoglutathione on intestinal ischemia reperfusion injury and acute lung injury in rats: Roles of oxidative stress and NF-κB.

BACKGROUND: Intestinal ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) induces oxidative stress, inflammatory response, and acute lung injury. S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO), a nitric oxide donor, has been documented to have protective effects on experimental ischemia models. AIM: The aim of this study was to examine the effect of GSNO on I/R-induced intestine and lung damage and detect the potential mechanisms emphasizing the protective role of GSNO. METHODS: Intestinal I/R was induced by occluding the superior mesenteric artery for 30 min followed by reperfusion for 180 min. GSNO was administered intravenously before reperfusion period (0.25 mg/kg). The levels of lipid peroxidation, reduced glutathione, and myeloperoxidase (MPO), histopathological evaluation and immunohistochemical expressions of both nuclear factor KappaB (NF-κB) and inducible nitric oxide (iNOS) in intestine and lung tissues were assessed. RESULTS: Histolopathologic evaluation demonstrated that intestinal I/R induced severe damages in the intestine and the lung tissues. Histopathological scores decreased with GSNO treatment. GSNO treatment reduced lipid peroxidation and MPO levels and inhibited expression of NF-κB and iNOS in the intestine. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that GSNO treatment may ameliorate the intestinal and lung injury in rats, at least in part, by inhibiting inflammatory response and oxidative stress.

Attenuation of contractile dysfunction by atorvastatin after intestinal ischemia reperfusion injury in rats.

Growing number of studies implicate that 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors, or statins, have beneficial effects on ischemia/reperfusion injury that are unrelated to their cholesterol-lowering action. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate possible effects of atorvastatin on oxidative stress, neutrophil accumulation, and contractile response of terminal ileum segments in rats subjected to intestinal ischemia/reperfusion. Intestinal ischemia/reperfusion model was generated by clamping the superior mesenteric artery for 30 min followed by reperfusion for 3 h. Oral administration of atorvastatin at a dose of 10 mg/kg/day lasted 3 days just before induction of intestinal ischemia. At the end of reperfusion period, terminal ileum samples were removed to determine the concentrations of malondialdehyde, reduced glutathione, and myeloperoxidase. Samples were collected also to assess histopathological alterations and contractile response to agonists. Ischemia/reperfusion significantly decreased contractile responses, and this decrease was attenuated by atorvastatin. Pretreatment with atorvastatin caused remarkable decrease in both oxidative stress and neutrophil accumulation. Atorvastatin appeared to be restoring amount of reduced glutathione back to about control level. Furthermore, the pretreatment lowered mucosal damage at histopathological level. Our results suggested that pretreatment with atorvastatin attenuated intestinal muscle dysfunction associated with ischemia/reperfusion. This remarkable effect of atorvastatin is accomplished at least by decreasing oxidative stress and neutrophil accumulation as well as preventing the depletion of reduced glutathione.

Erythropoietin stimulates wound healing and angiogenesis in mice.

Erythropoietin exerts hematopoietic effects by stimulating proliferation of early erythroid precursors. Nonhematopoietic effects of erythropoietin have also been shown. It may act as a new angiogenic factor in wound healing. This study aimed to investigate the effect of systemic administration of recombinant human erythropoietin on wound healing in mice. Dorsal incisional wounds were performed in mice, which were then divided into two groups; a group treated for 7 days with recombinant human erythropoietin, and a control group. Sacrificing animals on day 7, the wound tissues were collected for analysis of wound breaking strength, malondialdehyde, a marker of lipid peroxidation, hydroxyproline, an index of reparative collagen deposition, reduced glutathione levels, and for histological evaluation. The immunohistochemical determination of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) which is believed to be the most prevalent angiogenic factor throughout the skin repair process, was also studied. The treatment significantly increased wound breaking strength by decreasing malondialdehyde and increasing hydroxyproline levels on day 7 after wounding. No statistically meaningful change was observed in reduced glutathione content. VEGF was immunostained significantly more on wound tissue of treated animals compared to the control group. Recombinant human erythropoietin treatment may be effective in wound healing due to inhibition of lipid peroxidation, deposition of collagen, and VEGF expression in wound area.