Sevoflurane alleviates liver ischemia reperfusion injury through inactivation of the TRAF6/NF-κB signaling pathway

Purpose: To evaluate the role and mechanism of action of sevoflurane in liver ischemia reperfusion injury.Methods: Rats were pretreated with sevoflurane and then underwent liver ischemia followed by reperfusion to establish an animal model of liver ischemia reperfusion injury. Pathological changes in liver tissues were investigated by hematoxylin and eosin (H & E) staining, and serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were determined using a chemistryanalyzer. ELISA was used to determine the levels of myeloperoxidase (MPO), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), IL-6, superoxide (SOD), malonaldehyde (MDA), catalase (CAT), and glutathione (GSH).Results: Pathological changes in liver tissue, including sinusoidal congestion, vacuole formation, and infiltration of inflammatory cells and lymphocytes, were identified in rats post-ischemia reperfusion injury. In addition, serum ALT and AST levels increased following ischemia reperfusion injury. However, administration of sevoflurane ameliorated the pathological liver damage and decreased the serum ALTand AST levels induced by ischemia reperfusion. Pro- inflammatory cytokines, such as MPO, TNF-α, IL- 1β, and IL-6 were upregulated in rats following ischemia reperfusion injury, and this upregulation was reversed by sevoflurane administration. Sevoflurane administration also attenuated the ischemia reperfusion-induced increase in MDA and decrease in SOD, CAT, and GSH. Ischemia reperfusionrepressed IκBα protein expression and promoted protein expression of TNF receptor associated factor 6 (TRAF6), phospho (p)-IκBα, and p-p65 in liver tissue. However, sevoflurane reversed the effect of ischemia reperfusion on IκBα, TRAF6, p-IκBα, and p-65 expression.Conclusion: Sevoflurane administration reduced pathological liver injury post-ischemia reperfusion bysuppressing the inflammatory response and oxidative stress through inactivation of the TRAF6/NF-κB pathway.