title: Influence of heme oxygenase-1 on microcirculation after kidney transplantation.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Surgical Research, Department of General Surgery, Münster University Hospital, Münster, Germany.
authors.forename: Jens Peter
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Hölzen
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: August
authors.forename: Ralf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bahde
authors.forename: Evgeny
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Minin
authors.forename: Detlef
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lang
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Heidenreich
authors.forename: Karl-Heinz
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Dietl
authors.forename: Hans-Ullrich
authors.initials: HU
authors.lastname: Spiegel
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D006427:Hemin; D014508:Urea; D003404:Creatinine; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1