Activation of nuclear factor-κB during orthotopic liver transplantation in rats is protective and does not require kupffer cells

Reperfusion after liver transplantation results in the induction of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα) as well as activation of the stress-associated signaling proteins, c-JunN-terminal kinase (JNK), activating protein-1 (AP-1), and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB). To test the hypothesis that Kupffer cells are involved in the activation of signal transduction cascades during rat liver transplantation, Kupffer cells were depleted from donor liver using...