SUMMARY
OBJECTIVES
This study was conducted to reveal the possible protective effects of ticagrelor and enoxaparin pretreatment against ischemia-reperfusion (IR)-induced injury on the lung tissue of a rat model.
METHODS
Wistar albino rats were randomly divided into 4 groups as follows: group-1 (control-sham), group-2 (control-saline+IR), group-3 (ticagrelor+IR), group-4 (enoxaparin+IR). Before the ischemic period, saline, ticagrelor, and enoxaparin were administered to the 2nd-4th groups, respectively. In these groups, IR injury was induced by clamping the aorta infrarenally for 2 h, followed by 4 h of reperfusion except group-1. After the rats were euthanized, the lungs were processed for histological examinations. Paraffin sections were stained with Haematoxylin&Eosin (H&E) for light microscopic observation. Apoptosis was evaluated by caspase-3 immunoreactivity. Data were statistically analyzed using the SPSS software.
RESULTS
In the lung sections stained with H&E, a normal histological structure was observed in group-1, whereas disorganized epithelial cells, hemorrhage, and inflammatory cell infiltration were seen in the alveolar wall in group-2. The histologic structure of the treatment groups was better than that of group-2. Caspase-3(+) apoptotic cells were noticeable in sections of group-2 and were lower in the treatment groups. In group-4, caspase-3 immunostaining was lower than in group-3. In group-2, apoptotic cells were significantly higher than in the other groups (p<0.001).
CONCLUSION
Based on the histological results, we suggested that both therapies ameliorated the detrimental effects of IR. Caspase-3 immunohistochemistry results also revealed that pre-treatment with enoxaparin gave better results in an IR-induced rat injury model. In further studies, other parameters such as ROS and inflammatory gene expressions should be evaluated for accurate results.
ischemia-reperfusion; rat lung tissue; caspase-3; apoptosis
Sham control (A, B); Control-Saline+IR (C, D); Ticagrelor+IR (E, F) and Enoxaparin+IR (G, H). Note the presence of intra-alveolar hemorrhage (arrows) and mononüclear/ neutrophilic cell infiltration (arroheads), thickened alveolar wall and edematous septum (asterix) in the Control-saline+IR group. Treatment groups (E-H) exhibit structural integrity and arranged alveolar epithelium. H&E. Pictures from left column is 200X, right colum is 400X magnification.
Sham-control (A); Control-Saline + IR (B); Ticagrelor+IR (C) and Enoxaaparin+IR (D) groups. Arrows indicate the caspase-3 immunoreactivity of apoptotic cells. 400X.
