The correlation between renal tissue oxidative stress parameters and TNF-alpha levels in an experimental model of ischemia-reperfusion injury in mice

BACKGROUND: To investigate the relationship between oxidative stress and pro-inflammatory response of the renal tissue at different ischemia times in I/R mice. METHODS:
Twenty-four male Swiss dormice were subjected to 30, 45 or 60 minutes of ischemia and then 60 minutes of reperfusion (Group 1 I 30/R60, Group 2, .I45/R60, and Group 3, I 60/R60 respectively). As markers of oxidative stress and antioxidant activity, levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), protein carbonyls and protein sulfhydryls (SH), tissue superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities of the renal tissue and also renal tissue pro-inflammatory marker TNF-alpha levels were assessed. RESULTS: The levels of TBARS and protein carbonyl rised in I30/R60 group (p=0.01). In I45/R60 group, levels of TBARS, protein carbonyls and TNF-alpha levels were significantly higher while SOD and CAT activities (p=0.01), and the levels of SH were significantly decreased (p=0.05). These findings were more relevant for I60/R60 group. Higher TNF-alpha levels correlated positively with higher levels of TBARS, and protein carbonyls and negatively with SOD, CAT and renal tissue SH (p=0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In mice, oxidative stress after 45 minutes ischemia and 60 min reperfusion could induce pro-inflammatory cascade mediated through TNF-alpha.