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Expression of Heme Oxygenase‐1 in Human Livers Before Transplantation Correlates with Graft Injury and Function After Transplantation
Author(s) -
Geuken Erwin,
Buis Carlijn I.,
Visser Dorien S.,
Blokzijl Hans,
Moshage Han,
Nemes Balazs,
Leuvenink Henri G. D.,
De Jong Koert P.,
Peeters Paul M. J. G.,
Slooff Maarten J. H.,
Porte Robert J.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
american journal of transplantation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.89
H-Index - 188
eISSN - 1600-6143
pISSN - 1600-6135
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-6143.2005.00960.x
Subject(s) - heme oxygenase , transplantation , medicine , reperfusion injury , liver transplantation , downregulation and upregulation , heme , ischemia , andrology , pathology , endocrinology , gastroenterology , immunology , gene , biology , enzyme , biochemistry
Upregulation of heme oxygenase‐1 (HO‐1) has been proposed as an adaptive mechanism protecting against ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. We investigated HO‐1 expression in 38 human liver transplants and correlated this with I/R injury and graft function. Before transplantation, median HO‐1 mRNA levels were 3.4‐fold higher (range: 0.7–9.3) in donors than in normal controls. Based on the median value, livers were divided into two groups: low and high HO‐1 expression. These groups had similar donor characteristics, donor serum transaminases, cold ischemia time, HSP‐70 expression and the distribution of HO‐1 promoter polymorphism. After reperfusion, HO‐1 expression increased significantly further in the initial low HO‐1 expression group, but not in the high HO‐1 group. Postoperatively, serum transaminases were significantly lower and the bile salt secretion was higher in the initial low HO‐1 group, compared to the high expression group. Immunofluorescence staining identified Kupffer cells as the main localization of HO‐1.In conclusion, human livers with initial low HO‐1 expression (<3.4 times controls) are able to induce HO‐1 further during reperfusion and are associated with less injury and better function than initial high HO‐1 expression (>3.4 times controls). These data suggest that an increase in HO‐1 during transplantation is more protective than high HO‐1 expression before transplantation.