title: Correlation between oxidative stress and immunosuppressive therapy in renal transplant recipients with an uneventful postoperative course and stable renal function.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are important mediators of cellular damage and lipid peroxidation is the most important expression of ROS-induced oxidative stress. Recent studies have suggested that increased plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) levels are a consequence of specific immunosuppressive therapies. This study aims at investigating the relation between oxidative stress and immunosuppressive therapies in renal transplant patients with stable renal function and uneventful postoperative course.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study group included 26 renal patients. Two groups of renal transplant recipients, treated with a different combination of immunosuppressive agents were studied (Group A: CyA, MMF, Steroids and Basiliximab, Group B: Tacrolimus, MMF, Steroids and Daclizumab). All patients had an uneventful postoperative course. Plasma MDA levels were measured before transplantation, 1 and 6 months after. Plasma concentration of endogenous creatinine (Cr) was used as a measure of stable renal function.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Levels of MDA were increased before the transplantation in all renal patients (MDA: 7.81 +/- 4.81, normal levels: 2.23-4.08 nmol/ml, P < 0.05). Combined therapy with CyA was associated with high values of MDA at 6 months measurement after transplantation. However this tendency of increased MDA levels did not achieve a statistical significance (Group A: 6.97 vs. 9.06 nmol/ml, P>0.05). On the contrary, statistically significant diminution of MDA levels was observed in Group B patients (Tacrolimus-MMF-steroids) at 6 months measurement after transplantation. (Group B: 8.61 vs. 4.11 nmol/ml, P<0.02<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Immunosuppressive combined therapy with CyA was associated with the high values of MDA that were measured posttransplantly. Our study provides strong evidence that Tacrolimus is significantly associated with improved free radical metabolism.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Experimental Surgery and Surgical Research, School of Medicine, Athens University, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Despina N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Perrea
authors.forename: Konstantinos G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Moulakakis
authors.forename: Maria V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Poulakou
authors.forename: Ioannis S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Vlachos
authors.forename: Antonios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Papachristodoulou
authors.forename: Alkiviadis I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Kostakis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D016559:Tacrolimus / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D016572:Cyclosporine; D003404:Creatinine; D016559:Tacrolimus