【 Abstract 】 Objective To investigate the protective effect of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPAR γ ) activator 15-deoxyprostaglandin J2 (15d-PGJ2) in rat hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury and its mechanism. Methods The models of 70% warm ischemia-reperfusion injury were established in SD rats, rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: sham operation group, ischemia-reperfusion group, 15d-PGJ2 group and 15d-PGJ2+GW9662 group. After reperfusion, serum AST and ALT levels were determined; the liver tissues were removed for measurement of activity of NF-κB and myeloperoxidase (MPO), TNF-α content and expression of ICAM-1. Results Compared with sham operation group, the serum levels of ALT and AST, and the activities of MPO and NF- κ B, TNF- α content and expression of ICAM-1 in ischemia-reperfusion group, 15d-PGJ2 group and 15d-PGJ2+GW9662 group were greatly improved (P ＜ 0.05). Compared with ischemia-reperfusion group, the serum levels of ALT and AST and the activities of MPO and NF- κ B, TNF- α content and expression of ICAM-1 in 15d-PGJ2 group were significantly decreased (P ＜ 0.05). Compared with 15d-PGJ2 group, the serum levels of ALT and AST, and the activities of MPO and NF- κ B, TNF- α content and the expression of ICAM-1 in 15d-PGJ2+GW9662 group were obviously increased (P ＜ 0.05). Conclusion PPAR γ activator 15d-PGJ2 could protect against ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats, with its possible mechanism of inhibiting NF-κB activation and down-regulating TNF-α content and ICAM-1 expression in a PPARγ dependent fashion.