Effects of Ozone Oxidative Preconditioning on Liver Regeneration after Partial Hepatectomy in Rats

Aim: Similar protective effect of ischemic and ozone oxidative preconditioning (OzoneOP) in hepatic ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury was demonstrated, providing evidences that both preconditioning settings shared similar biochemical mechanisms of protection. We investigated the effects of OzoneOP on liver regeneration after 70% partial hepatectomy (PHx) in rats. Methods: Rats were divided into three groups: PHx, I/R + PHx, and OzoneOP + I/R + PHx groups. Ozone (intraperitoneal, 1.2 mg/kg) was given to rats subjected to I/R and 70% hepatectomy daily five times before operation. At 24 hr and 48 hr after resection, samples were collected for the measurement of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), and interleukin-6 (IL-6). Moreover, liver regeneration rate, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) labeling index, mitotic index, and histopathological examination were evaluated. Results: OzoneOP reduced liver injury determined by liver histology and serum transaminases. There was a rise in serum TNF-alpha and IL-6 levels in the I/R + PHx group whereas OzoneOP significantly decreased the rise in the level of TNF-alpha but not IL-6 on the 24 hr and 48 hr of reperfusion. Moreover, liver regeneration in OzoneOP + PHx group, as assessed by the regenerated liver weight, mitotic, and PCNA-labeling index, was significantly improved when compared to I/R + PHx group. Conclusion: These results suggest that OzoneOP ameliorates the hepatic injury associated with I/R and has a stimulatory effect on liver cell regeneration that may make it valuable as a hepatoprotective modality.