Role of short-term starvation in alleviating hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury in mice and possible mechanism of action

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the role of short-term starvation (STS) in alleviating hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury in mice and possible mechanism of action. Methods: Wild-type male C57BL/6 mice aged 8 weeks were randomly divided into 75% hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury group (IR group), STS+75% hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury group (STS group), and sirtinol+STS+75% hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury group (SIR group), using a random number table, and sham-operation groups (IR-Sham group, STS-Sham group, and SIR-Sham group) were also established. The serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were measured, and the histomorphological changes of the liver were observed, as well as the expression of Sirt1, LC3B, and P62 proteins in liver tissue and the results of LC3B fluorescence staining. An analysis of variance was used for comparison of data between multiple groups, and the t-test was used for comparison of data between two groups. Results: Compared with the IR group, the STS group had significant reductions in the serum levels of ALT (3 152.7 ± 735.6 U/L vs 8 414.2 ± 1 052.2 U/L, P < 0.01) and AST (3 577.0 ± 714.0 U/L vs 10 845.8 ± 1 145.7 U/L, P < 0.01) and significant alleviation of liver pathological injury (Suzuki score: 1.50±0.55 vs 3.50±0.55, P < 0.01). Compared with the STS group, the SIR group had significant increases in the serum levels of ALT (7 002.7 ± 1 485.2 U/L vs 3 152.7 ± 735.6 U/L, P < 0.01) and AST (8 980.7 ± 1 739.1 U/L vs 3 577.0 ± 714.0 U/L, P < 0.01) and significant exacerbation of liver pathological injury (Suzuki score: 3.33 ± 0.52 vs 1.50 ± 0.55, P < 0.01). Compared with the IR group and the IR-Sham group, the STS group and the STS-Sham group had significant increases in the mRNA and protein expression of Sirt1 and the protein expression of LC3B and a significant reduction in the protein expression of P62, as well as a significant increase in the percentage of LC3B-positive cells in liver tissue (22.83% ± 5.19% / 22.17% ± 4.83% vs 10.16% ± 3.06% / 10.83% ± 1.94%, both P < 0.01). Compared with the STS group and the STS-Sham group, the SIR group and the SIR-Sham group had significant reductions in the expression of Sirt1 and LC3B proteins and a significant increase in the expression of P62 protein, as well as a significant reduction in the percentage of LC3B-positive cells in liver tissue (11.83% ± 9.24% / 14.67% ± 4.68% vs 22.83% ± 5.19% / 22.17% ± 4.83%, both P < 0.01). Conclusion: STS can effectively alleviate hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury, and its protective effect may be associated with increasing the expression of Sirt1, inducing and promoting hepatocyte autophagy, and reducing hepatocyte death.