Olprinone protects the liver from ischemia-reperfusion injury through oxidative stress prevention and protein kinase Akt activation.

Liver ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury is inevitable in surgical procedures such as hepatic resection and liver transplantation. It represents a leading cause of liver graft dysfunction and primary nonfunction after transplantation. Phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitors are emerging as effective drugs able to reduce IR damage. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of selective PDE-3 inhibitor olprinone (Olp) against liver IR injury. Male Wistar rats were subjected to 1 h of partial warm ischemia (70%) followed by 6 h of reperfusion. Before ischemia, rats were treated with saline (IR group), Olp (Olp group), or Olp with Akt inhibitor LY294002 (Olp plus LY group). After reperfusion, hepatic injury (transaminase activities), mitochondrial damage (glutamate dehydrogenase activity), oxidative stress (malondialdehyde and glutathione concentrations and catalase and superoxide dismutase activities), and protein kinase Akt activation were evaluated. Rat treatment with Olp reduced liver injury, prevented mitochondrial damage, decreased lipid peroxidation, and enhanced antioxidant enzymes. Also, Olp induced a significant activation in protein kinase Akt. Inhibition of Akt with LY294002 abolished all of the protective effects of Olp. In conclusion, Olp treatment may be an effective strategy in reducing liver IR injury through oxidative stress prevention and Akt activation.