The liver injury following ischemia and reperfusion is worse in experimental knockout heterozygote mouse model for expression of connexin 431

Acta Cir Bras. 2019 Dec 13;34(10):e201901003. doi: 10.1590/s0102-865020190100000003. eCollection 2019.

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate that Connexin (Cx43) plays a role in lesions after hepatic ischemia/reperfusion (IR) injury.

Methods: We use Cx43 deficient model (heterozygotes mice) and compared to a wild group. The groups underwent 1 hour ischemia and 24 hours reperfusion. The heterozygote genotype was confirmed by PCR. We analyzed the hepatic enzymes (AST, ALT, GGT) and histology.

Results: The mice with Cx43 deficiency showed an ALT mean value of 4166 vs. 307 in the control group (p<0.001); AST mean value of 7231 vs. 471 in the control group (p<0.001); GGT mean value of 9.4 vs. 1.7 in the control group (p=0.001); histology showed necrosis and inflammation in the knockout group.

Conclusions: This research demonstrated that the deficiency of Cx43 worses the prognosis for liver injury. The topic is a promising target for therapeutics advancements in liver diseases and procedures.

MeSH terms

  • Alanine Transaminase / analysis
  • Animals
  • Aspartate Aminotransferases / analysis
  • Connexin 43 / analysis
  • Connexin 43 / deficiency*
  • Disease Models, Animal*
  • Genotyping Techniques
  • Liver / blood supply*
  • Liver / pathology
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Necrosis
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Reference Values
  • Reperfusion Injury / metabolism*
  • Reperfusion Injury / pathology
  • Time Factors
  • gamma-Glutamyltransferase / analysis

Substances

  • Connexin 43
  • GJA1 protein, mouse
  • gamma-Glutamyltransferase
  • Aspartate Aminotransferases
  • Alanine Transaminase