C‐Jun N‐Terminal Kinase 2 Promotes Graft Injury via the Mitochondrial Permeability Transition After Mouse Liver Transplantation

• Published in: American journal of transplantation Vol. 8; no. 9; pp. 1819 - 1828
• Main Authors: Theruvath, T. P., Czerny, C., Ramshesh, V. K., Zhong, Z., Chavin, K. D., Lemasters, J. J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.09.2008; Blackwell
• Subjects: Alanine Transaminase - blood; Aldehydes - metabolism; Animals; Apoptosis; Biological and medical sciences; Caspase 3 - metabolism; c‐Jun N‐terminal kinase 2; Immunohistochemistry; ischemia/reperfusion injury; Isoenzymes - genetics; Isoenzymes - metabolism; Lipid Peroxidation; liver transplantation; Liver Transplantation - adverse effects; Liver Transplantation - pathology; Liver, biliary tract, pancreas, portal circulation, spleen; Male; Medical sciences; Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial - physiology; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mice, Knockout; Mitochondria - metabolism; mitochondrial permeability transition; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 9 - metabolism; necrosis; Necrosis - pathology; Permeability; Prospective Studies; Random Allocation; Reperfusion Injury - etiology; Reperfusion Injury - metabolism; Reperfusion Injury - pathology; storage/reperfusion injury; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases; Surgery of the digestive system; survival; Transplants - adverse effects; Prognosis; ischemia/reperfusion injury; Liver; Cardiovascular disease; Homotransplantation; Necrosis; Mitochondria; Organ preservation; Reperfusion; Ischemia; c-Jun N-terminal kinase 2; Surgery; Graft; Digestive system; Rodentia; mitochondrial permeability transition; Permeability; Survival; Trauma; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Storage; Treatment; Mouse; Cell death; Animal; Transition; Lesion; Apoptosis; Liver transplantation; storage/reperfusion injury
• ISSN: 1600-6135; 1600-6143
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-6143.2008.02336.x

The c‐Jun N‐terminal kinase (JNK) pathway enhances graft injury after liver transplantation (LT). We hypothesized that the JNK2 isoform promotes graft injury via the mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT). Livers of C57BL/6J (wild‐type, WT) and JNK2 knockout (KO) mice were transplanted into WT recipients after 30 h of cold storage in UW solution. Injury after implantation was assessed by serum ALT, histological necrosis, TUNEL, Caspase 3 activity, 30‐day survival, and cytochrome c and 4‐hydroxynonenal immunostaining. Multiphoton microscopy after LT monitored mitochondrial membrane potential in vivo. After LT, ALT increased three times more in WT compared to KO (p < 0.05). Necrosis and TUNEL were more than two times greater in WT than KO (p < 0.05). Immunostaining showed a >80% decrease of mitochondrial cytochrome c release in KO compared to WT (p < 0.01). Lipid peroxidation was similarly decreased. Every KO graft but one survived longer than all WT grafts (p < 0.05, Kaplan‐Meier). After LT, depolarization of mitochondria occurred in 73% of WT hepatocytes, which decreased to 28% in KO (p < 0.05). In conclusion, donor JNK2 promotes injury after mouse LT via the MPT. MPT inhibition using specific JNK2 inhibitors may be useful in protecting grafts against adverse outcomes from ischemia/reperfusion injury. Deficiency of c‐Jun N‐terminal kinase 2 (JNK2) improves mitochondrial function, mitigates storage/reperfusion injury and improves survival of mouse liver grafts.