BENEFICIAL-EFFECTS OF CYCLOSPORINE ON REOXYGENATION INJURY IN HYPOXICRAT-LIVER

The effect of CsA on hypoxia-reoxygenation injury was studied in perfu sed rat livers. CsA did not attenuate hypoxic injury as assessed by th e release of lactate dehydrogenase and mitochondrial aspartate aminotr ansferase. During reoxygenation, the release of lactate dehydrogenase was also not affected by CsA. However, the release of mitochondrial as partate aminotransferase into the cytosol, which indicates mito chondr ial injury, was significantly reduced by CsA. The effect of CsA on mit ochondrial function during hypoxia-reoxygenation was also investigated . CsA administration increased both the respiratory control ratio and the adenine nucleotide content after reoxygenation in both isolated mi tochondria and perfused livers. In addition, glucose production by per fused livers after reoxygenation was increased by CsA. We conclude tha t the beneficial effect of CsA on hypoxia-reoxygenation injury may be partly due to protection of the mitochondria against reoxygenation inj ury.