05) (Fig. 4). Gene expression of Gαs is not influenced by the administration of saline or albumin in controls animal or in rats with cirrhosis and ascites. After saline, the gene expression of Adcy3 in rats with cirrhosis and ascites was lower than in control rats (P < 0.05). Albumin administration brought gene expression of Adcy3 back to the level observed in control animals (P

< 0.05). Figure 5 reports the protein expression of β1-AR, β2-AR, Gαi2, Gαs, and Adcy3 in the heart of animals after the administration of saline or albumin. GSK1120212 order According to gene expression, after saline β2-AR protein expression was significantly increased in rats with cirrhosis and ascites as compared with control rats (P < 0.05). Albumin administration did not modify this difference. Gαi2 protein expression was significantly increased in animals with cirrhosis and ascites compared with control rats after saline (P < 0.05). Albumin administration significantly reduced this difference (P < 0.05) (Fig. 5). Administration of saline or albumin did not influence protein Gαs expression in either group of animals. After saline, the expression of Adcy3 in rats with cirrhosis and ascites was lower compared with control animals (P < 0.05). Albumin administration returned the gene expression of Adcy3 to levels similar to those of controls (P < 0.05).

Activation of NAD(P)H oxidase was detected through the translocation of two cytosolic subunits (Rac-1 and p47-phox) to the plasmatic membrane. Figure 6 Selleckchem Ixazomib shows that the increased p47-phox and Rac-1 membrane/cytosol ratio, which was observed after saline administration in rats with ascites as compared to control animals (P < 0.05), was almost

completely normalized after albumin administration (P < 0.05). After saline, NF-κB translocation, selleck screening library measured in cardiac tissue after nuclear extraction, was significantly increased in animals with cirrhosis and ascites as compared to control animals (P < 0.05) (Fig. 7A). Albumin administration decreased NF-κB activation in rats with cirrhosis and ascites to a level similar to that observed in control rats (P < 0.05). Figure 7B shows that the increased protein expression of iNOS, which was observed after saline administration in rats with cirrhosis and ascites (P < 0.05), was brought back to the level observed in control animals by albumin administration (P < 0.05). Figure 8A shows that in rats with cirrhosis and ascites the plasma level of TNF-α was significantly increased 2-fold as compared to control animals (P < 0.05). Albumin reduced the plasma level of TNF-α in these animals to that observed in control rats (P < 0.05). Likewise, albumin administration caused a significant decrease of TNF-α concentration in the ascitic fluid in rats with cirrhosis (P < 0.05).