Influence of cold-storage conditions on renal function of autotransplanted large pig kidneys.
BACKGROUND
The consequences of ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI) on delayed graft function (DGF) and graft survival for kidney recipients remain a matter of debate. Several strategies have been proposed to reduce IRI. We have shown that adding the anti-ischemic drug trimetazidine (TMZ) to different preservation solutions had beneficial effects on the function of reperfused rat and pig kidneys.


METHODS
We analyzed the renal parameters of reperfused, autotransplanted large pigs following transplantation. The left kidneys were first removed and cold flushed with Euro-Collins (EC) and University of Wisconsin (UW) solutions (with or without 10-6 mol/L TMZ) and were stored for 48 hours at 4 degrees C. The kidney was then autotransplanted, and the contralateral kidneys were removed. Creatinine clearance, natriuresis, proteinuria, the degree of interstitial fibrosis, the number of CD4, CD8, and macrophage-positive cells, and the amount of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 were analyzed on kidney biopsies taken at 2, 4 to 5, and 10 to 12 weeks after surgery.


RESULTS
The functions of the transplanted kidneys were better preserved after cold flushing with TMZ-supplemented solutions than with TMZ-free solutions. Creatinine clearance was higher, and proteinuria was lower in animals transplanted with kidneys cold flushed with TMZ-supplemented solutions than with TMZ-free solutions. The cytoprotective action of TMZ also reduced interstitial fibrosis and the numbers of infiltrating CD4- and CD8-positive cells.


CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate that the condition of cold preservation may influence long-term kidney graft functions and suggest that, to a certain extent, TMZ reduces the degree of interstitial fibrosis.
Unité de Transplantation Expérimentale, Département de Génétique Animale, Institut National de Recherche Agronomique, Surgères, France.
J M
JM
Goujon
A
A
Vandewalle
H
H
Baumert
M
M
Carretier
T
T
Hauet
D000818:Animals; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes; D015925:Cryopreservation; D005355:Fibrosis / Q000517:prevention & control; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000276:immunology*; D006982:Hypertonic Solutions; D007511:Ischemia; D007668:Kidney / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology* / Q000502:physiology*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D008264:Macrophages; D009000:Monocytes; D009392:Nephrectomy; D019188:Organ Preservation Solutions; D012964:Sodium / Q000652:urine; D013552:Swine; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous; D014292:Trimetazidine / Q000494:pharmacology; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000032:analysis; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000494:pharmacology
C037096:Euro-Collins' solution; D006982:Hypertonic Solutions; D019188:Organ Preservation Solutions; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D012964:Sodium; D014292:Trimetazidine