Background: Kidneys from non-heart-beating donors are associated with delayed graft function and a high rejection rate due to the long period of warm ischemia. Gabexate mesilate (GM), a synthetic serine protease inhibitor, has been shown to improve organ function by suppressing cytokine activity and neutrophil function after ischemia/reperfusion. In this study, we evaluated the effect of GM on renal function after warm ischemia in a canine kidney autotransplantation model.
Methods: After 60 minutes of warm ischemia, the left kidney was transplanted into the iliac fossa, and the right kidney was removed. The control group (n = 7) and GM group (n = 7) were evaluated for serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) concentrations, renal tissue blood flow, resistive index, pulsatility index, interleukin (IL)-1beta and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha mRNA expression levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, apoptotic index, CD10 immunolabeling as an indicator of brush border injury, and standard histopathology.
Results: Compared with controls, administration of GM resulted in lower serum creatinine concentrations (11.3 +/- 2.4 vs 5.2 +/- 3.3 mg/dL at 72 hours; P = .04) and BUN concentrations (188 +/- 26 mg/dL vs 98 +/- 41 mg/dL at 72 hours; P = .04), as well as better tissue blood flow, improvement of brush border injury and apoptotic index (each P < .05). The expression of IL-1beta and TNF-alpha mRNA did not change after administration of GM.
Conclusions: The present study shows that GM protected renal function after warm ischemia/reperfusion by inhibition of serine proteases, maintenance of tissue blood flow, and amelioration of tubular apoptosis.