Role of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in liver ischemia reperfusion injury: a narrative review

Objective: To explore the role of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase/protein kinase B and alpha serine/threonine protein kinase PI3K/PKB (also known as PI3K/Akt) signaling pathway in liver ischemia reperfusion injury. Background: The PI3K/Akt signaling pathway is one of the major signal transduction pathways that regulates numerous cellular activities in vivo. The main functions of this pathway include induction of stem cell differentiation and metastasis, promotion of cell proliferation, inhibition of apoptosis, and regulation of tissue inflammation, tumor growth, and invasion. Liver ischemia reperfusion injury is an inevitable clinical problem that can occur during liver transplantation, liver resection, and various circulatory shock events, and it is one of the primary reasons for postoperative liver dysfunction, and poor disease outcome and patient prognosis. In recent years, it has been found that PI3K/Akt signaling pathway is closely related to liver ischemia reperfusion injury. Methods: In this review, a large number of relevant literatures were collected to explain the biological basis of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway and its role in liver ischemia reperfusion injury. The review was based on a PubMed search using the terms “liver ischemia reperfusion injury”, “PI3K/Akt signaling pathway”, and “PI3K/Akt signaling pathway AND liver ischemia reperfusion injury”, so as to understand the complex interaction between them. Conclusions: Activated PI3K/Akt signaling pathway can exert anti-inflammatory, antioxidant stress, anti-apoptosis and autophagy regulation effects through downstream related targeted pathways and proteins, thus alleviating liver ischemia-reperfusion injury. Therefore, the regulation of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway is expected to become an effective targeted pathway for clinical prevention and alleviation of liver ischemia reperfusion injury.