Resveratrol prolongs allograft survival after liver transplantation in rats.
OBJECTIVE
To study the immuno-modulatory effect of resveratrol (RES) on allograft rejection after liver transplantation in rats.


METHODS
Male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were selected as donors and male Wistar rats as recipients for a rejection model. The recipients were divided into four groups after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLTx). In the RES A, B, and C groups, RES was given intra-peritoneally once a day (25, 50, and 100 mg/kg, respectively) after OLTx, whereas in the control group, vehicle buffer was given intra-peritoneally once a day. The survival time, serum chemistry, production of cytokines, activation of transcription factor NF-kappaB, and histopathologic findings were then compared among these groups.


RESULTS
The mean survival time after OLTx in the RES C group was significantly longer than that in the control group (16.7+/-1.2 d vs 9.3+/-0.6 d, P<0.01). On the 7th post-transplant day the serum albumin level significantly improved in the RES C group, the serum total bile acid and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels were significantly lower in the RES C group, the serum IL-2 and INF-gamma levels were significantly lower in the RES C group, and the activation of transcription factor NF-kappaB in peripheral blood T lymphocytes was significantly suppressed in the RES A, B, and C groups in comparison to those in the control group. On the 7th post-transplant day, a histological examination revealed apparent difference in the severity of rejection between the RES C group and control group.


CONCLUSIONS
RES has an immuno-suppressive property as well as protective effect on hepatocytes under allograft rejection. It might serve as a novel agent for reducing the severity of hepatic allograft rejection in rats.
Wu
Sheng-Li
SL
Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, First Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China. victorywu2000@163.com
Yu
Liang
L
Meng
Ke-Wei
KW
Ma
Zhen-Hua
ZH
Pan
Cheng-En
CE
D000818:Animals; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000187:drug effects*; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D000077185:Resveratrol; D013267:Stilbenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016328:NF-kappa B; D013267:Stilbenes; D000077185:Resveratrol