BACKGROUND: Inflammation is one of the most significant mechanisms of hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI). Sufentanil has a protective effect against liver injury by reducing inflammatory response. In this study, we used a cellular hepatic ischemic/reoxygenated (IR) model to determine whether sufentanil preconditioning protects against hepatic IRI.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: The human normal liver cells line L-O2 was studied. The levels of glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (AST), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), malonaldehyde (MDA), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were measured using corresponding assay kits. The protein levels of total and phosphorylated ERK1/2, JNK, and p38, and the expression of p65 and COX2 genes, were measured by Western blotting. The levels of inflammatory factors were examined by ELISA. The Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) was used to determine if the viability of L-O2 cells was affected by sufentanil. The effects of sufentanil on IR-induced cell apoptosis were examined by flow cytometry.

RESULTS: IR-induced caused L-O2 cells to become rounded and to have a lower adhesive rate than normal cells. The levels of AST, LDH, and MDA were higher but the level of SOD was lower in the IR group than in the control group. The phosphorylated protein levels of ERK1/2, JNK, and p38, along with the expression of p65 and COX2, were upregulated in the IR group compared to the normal group. In addition, a variety of inflammatory factors were secreted in L-O2 cells after IR. The viability of L-O2 cells decreased and cell apoptosis increased significantly after IR treatment. All indexes of cell injury were reversed by sufentanil in a concentration-dependent manner.

CONCLUSIONS: Sufentanil stimulation triggers downregulation of inflammatory factors such as HIF-1α, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6, possibly through suppressing the p38/ERK/JNK/NF-κB-p65/COX2 pathways, and thereby reduces the damage to IR hepatic cells.

Keywords: MAP Kinase Kinase Kinases, Sufentanil, Alanine Transaminase, Aspartate Aminotransferases, Cell Adhesion, Hepatocytes, Ischemia, Ischemic Preconditioning, L-Lactate Dehydrogenase, Liver, Malondialdehyde, Protective Agents