Dynamics of glutamine synthetase expression in hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury: Implications for therapeutic interventions

Background: Hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) poses a great challenge in liver surgery and transplantation because of oxidative stress and inflammatory responses. The changes in glutamine synthetase (GS) expression during hepatic IRI remain unclear.

Aim: To investigate the dynamic expression of GS during hepatic IRI.

Methods: Following hepatic ischemia for 1 h and reperfusion, liver tissue samples were collected at 0.5, 6, and 24 hours postreperfusion for fixation, embedding, sectioning. Hematoxylin and eosin staining and GS staining were performed.

Results: GS expression rapidly decreases in hepatocytes around the central vein after IRI, reaching its lowest point at 6 hours postreperfusion, and then gradually recovers.

Conclusion: GS is highly sensitive to IRI, highlighting its potential role as an indicator of liver injury states and a target for therapeutic intervention.