The possible protective effect of exercise on liver damage following hind-limb ischemia–reperfusion injury in the adult male albino rat: light and electron microscopic study

Background Hind-limb ischemia–reperfusion (I/R) injury is not limited to the lower extremities; it also causes damage to remote organs. Aim of the work This study was undertaken to investigate the role of exercise in attenuating remote hepatic damage following hind-limb I/R injury. Materials and methods Forty-five adult male rats were divided into three groups: the control group, the I/R group, and the exercise+I/R group. The rats were left to swim for 1 h, five times a week, for 4 weeks before I/R. Bilateral hind-limb ischemia was induced by application of rubber bands above the greater trochanter for 3 h. Blood samples were taken after 3 h of reperfusion for determination of malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interleukin-6. Liver specimens were processed for light and electron microscopic study. Results In the I/R group, the superoxide dismutase level decreased and plasma levels of malondialdehyde, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interleukin-6 significantly increased when compared with the control group. Light microscopic examination showed hepatocytes with vacuolated cytoplasm, dilated blood sinusoids, and portal vessels. An extensive amount of collagen fibers around portal tracts and intense immune reaction for caspase-3 were observed. The ultrastructure showed hepatocytes with swollen mitochondria and disrupted cristae and others with an electron-dense matrix. Kupffer cells showed apoptotic bodies. Ito cells appeared surrounded by wide areas of collagen fibers. The exercise+I/R group showed significant attenuation of the biochemical and histological alterations of I/R-induced liver injury. Conclusion Exercise could attenuate remote liver damage following hind-limb I/R injury.