Background: Hepatic ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI) occurs during liver transplantation setting that might cause graft rejection and could result in multi-organ dysfunction. Aim: detect the possible effects of splenic ischemic preconditioning on splenic injury induced by hepatic IRI in albino rats. Material and methods: Thirty adult albino rats were divided into three groups, ten rats each. Group I (control): ten rats were divided into negative control was left untreated and sham control was subjected to open abdominal wall without any intervention. Group II (IRI group): ten rats were subjected to hepatic ischemia for 45 minutes followed by 60 minutes of reperfusion. Group III (SIPC+IRI group): ten rats were subjected to intermittent splenic artery clamping in two sessions of 5 min ischemia followed by 5 min reperfusion before liver ischemia. Spleen specimens from all groups were obtained, and processed for histological, immunohistochemical and transmission electron microscopic examination. Results: After hepatic IRI, the spleen showed marked congestion in red pulp with shrunken depleted lymphatic follicles in white pulp. Electron microscopic examination showed plasma cells with degenerative changes in the form of shrinkage of the nucleus, nuclear membrane separation, dilatation of rER, condensation in Golgi apparatus, and dilatation in its vesicles. Macrophages with numerous electron-dense material and secondary lysosomes were observed. There was a significant decrease in number of both CD3 and CD20 immunoreactive positive cells compared to control group. After SIPC, a relative improvement in spleen structure was observed.
Conclusion: Splenic ischemic preconditioning improves the splenic injury induced by hepatic ischemia/reperfusion.