Animals were randomly allocated into seven groups (n = 8 each) as follows.

Sham group (group S) rats subjected to abdomen dissection and isolation of the hepatic peripheral vessels without occlusion;

Model group (group M) rats underwent the OALT procedure as described above, and no drug was utilized;

Low-dose Dex group (group D1) and high-dose Dex group (group D2) rats received 10 or 50 μg/kg Dex (Hengrui Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Nanjing, China), respectively, via intraperitoneal injection 30 min before the operation; and

Atipamezole + high-dose Dex group (group B1), ARC-239 + high-dose Dex group (group B2), and BRL-44408 + high-dose Dex group (group B3) rats received 500 μg/kg Atipamezole (a nonspecific α2 receptor blocker, Sigma-Aldrich, St. Louis., MO, USA), 50 μg/kg ARC239 (a specific α2B/C receptor blocker, Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Santa Cruz, CA, USA), or 1.5 mg/kg BRL-44408 (a specific α2A receptor blocker, Sigma-Aldrich), respectively, via intraperitoneal injection 10 min before receiving 50 μg/kg Dex 30 min prior to the OALT.

In the current study, all the drugs were dissolved in normal saline. Based on previous studies, Dex was administered 30 min before or immediately after the liver IR injury [16 (link),19 (link)]. The dose selected for each antagonist was on the basis of the antagonist’s affinity and the dose-effect relationship with Dex.
Free full text: Click here