The differential induction of two immediate early genes, c-fos and c-jun, after systemic hypovolemic shock/resuscitation in the rat liver and kidney

The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of the immediate early genes (IEGs), c-fos and c-jun, in the rat kidney and liver in two types of hemorrhage shock/resuscitation models. In the first group, hemorrhagic shock was induced by the withdrawal of blood through the carotid artery. A mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) of 40 mmHg was maintained for 1 h before blood was reperfused, In the second group, the MAP was maintained at the same level for 2 h, Animals mere resuscitated with Ringer's lactate solution. In the first group, a rapid and transient induction of c-fos and c-jun mRNAs in both the liver and kidney was observed, peaking 0 to 2 h after reperfusion, In the second group, a more protracted pattern of induction was evident in both organs. In both models, the induction of c-fos mRNA was distinctly different in the liver and kidney. These results indicated, first, that with respect to IEG expression, organs respond differently to a systemic shock/resuscitation stimuli, and second, that alterations in the pattern of LEG expression might represent an indication of the degree of organ damage or the repair processes subsequent to hypotension/reperfusion.