N-acetylcysteine alleviates liver injury by suppressing macrophage-mediated inflammatory response post microwave ablation

Abstract

ObjectTo investigate N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) would able to alleviate liver injury and systemic inflammatory response caused by microwave ablation (MWA) in rats. Materials and methodsMale Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 150–200 g were randomly divided into sham group (only anesthesia and laparotomy except MWA but with intraperitoneal PBS or NAC solution injection according to different situations), control group (intraperitoneal PBS injection for comparation 2 h prior to MWA), and NAC-treated group (intraperitoneal N-acetyl-cysteine (300 mg/kg) injection 2 h prior to MWA). Experimental rats were sacrificed at 4 h following operation in line with the liver injury severity curve. Liver tissue and serum samples were collected for determination of pathology, apoptosis, macrophages contents and protein expression. ResultsThe elevated serum level of liver enzymes, Myeloperoxidase (MPO) and inflammatory factors (TNF-α and CXCL1) in MWA-treated rats revealed injurious and pro- inflammatory effect of MVA. Macrophages aggregation was detected in MWA exposure rats similarly. and NAC pre-conditioning mitigate liver damage and hepatocyte apoptosis, besides macrophages accumulation and following inflammatory response in liver tissue. ConclusionOur results demonstrated that N-acetyl-cysteine application alleviate macrophages aggregation and inflammatory response in liver suffering microwave ablation, and mitigating liver injury and cell apoptosis.