Influence of heme oxygenase-1 on microcirculation after kidney transplantation.
BACKGROUND
Cytoprotective proteins, such as heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), play a decisive role in ischemia-reperfusion injury during kidney transplantation. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of heme oxygenase-1 on microcirculation and on ischemia-reperfusion injury in an isogenic kidney transplantation rat model.


METHODS
Seventy male Lewis rats were distributed into three groups. In Group 1(control), the kidneys were only mobilized. In Groups 2 and 3, bilateral nephrectomy was performed, and a kidney from another Lewis rat was orthotopically transplanted on the left side. The donor animals in Group 3 received preconditioning with the HO-1 inductor hemin. 24 h after reperfusion graft function and morphology were examined. Microcirculation was investigated by in vivo microscopy of the renal surface 1 h after reperfusion.


RESULTS
HO-1 preconditioning led to significantly lower serum creatinine and serum urea, as well as less histological damage and inducible nitric oxide synthase expression. Microcirculation was improved by a significant enlargement of the vascular diameter and an increase of the capillary flow.


CONCLUSIONS
Treatment with hemin improves microcirculation by induction of HO-1 and reduces ischemia-reperfusion injury after kidney transplantation. HO-1 induction was shown to be a promising approach in the preconditioning of donor kidneys.
Hölzen
Jens Peter
JP
Surgical Research, Department of General Surgery, Münster University Hospital, Münster, Germany.
August
Christian
C
Bahde
Ralf
R
Minin
Evgeny
E
Lang
Detlef
D
Heidenreich
Stefan
S
Dietl
Karl-Heinz
KH
Spiegel
Hans-Ullrich
HU
D000818:Animals; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006427:Hemin / Q000494:pharmacology; D019194:Ischemic Preconditioning / Q000379:methods; D007668:Kidney / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000473:pathology; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000502:physiology; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014508:Urea / Q000097:blood
D006427:Hemin; D014508:Urea; D003404:Creatinine; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1