Objectives: The objective of organ preservation is sustained viability of detached/removed/isolated organs and subsequent successful posttransplant outcomes. Nicorandil (an ATP-sensitive potassium channel opener) is an efficacious agent to preserve lungs and heart. Rutin trihydrate (an antioxidant) inhibits free radical-mediated cytotoxicity and lipid peroxidation. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of nicorandil and rutin trihydrate to enhance kidney preservation.
Materials and methods: We prepared 2 versions of organ preservation fluid, supplemented with either nicorandil or rutin trihydrate, and used 3-(4,5- dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium assays to evaluate the efficacy of these solutions in vitro (HEK293 human embryonic kidney cells), according to various cellular parameters such as ATP levels, reactive oxygen species, and cell viability. We also investigated the in vivo preservation efficacy in a rat model of renal ischemia and evaluated the immunohistological expression of apoptotic markers (caspase 3) in preserved rat kidney.
Results: We observed significant improvement of intracellular ATP levels (32 999 ± 1454 pmol/cell, n = 3; P < .05) in cells preserved in the nicorandil- supplemented solution compared with Custodiol solution (23 216 ± 1315 pmol/cell). Reactive oxygen species declined 1.25-fold (P < .05) in the presence of rutin trihydrate. Cell viability assays revealed a 4.8-fold increase in viability of renal cells preserved in the solutions supplemented with nicorandil or rutin trihydrate after 24-hour incubation compared with controls. In vivo, there were significant effects on serum creatinine (0.5480 ± 0.052, 0.956 ± 0.043 mg/dL) and blood urea nitrogen (85.36 ± 4.64, 92.85 ± 3.15 mg/dL) with the nicorandil and rutin trihydrate solutions, respectively. We observed suppressed expression of the apoptotic marker caspase 3 in groups treated with the 2 supplemented preservation fluids.
Conclusions: Our results showed that solutions of organ preservation fluid supplemented with either nicorandil or rutin trihydrate can ameliorate cellular problems/dysfunction and facilitate sustained impro - vement of tissue survival and subsequent organ viability.