The Effect of Allopurinol on the Ischemia-reperfusion Renal Injury in Young Rats

Lee, Seung Joo

Abstract

Objective
: Oxygen free radicals has been reported to be the critical cellular mediators of experimental ischemia-reperfusion renal injury. We examined the protective effect of allopurinol (an xanthine oxidase inhibitor) on the renal damage by reperfusion in the ischemic rat kidney.
METHODS
To induce renal ischemia, the Sprague-Dawley rats(weight 70-80g) were placed in a sealed 5L jar with 8% O2-92% N2 gas mixture for 3.75 hours to the point of gasping, the first sign of asphyxia. Before returning to their metabolic cage, rats were treated with a single subcutaneous injection of allopurinol 135mg/kg or equal volume of saline as control.
RESULTS
Reperfusion after renal ischemia in control rats resulted in significant increase of lipid peroxidation at post-reperfusion 15 minutes, compared to postischemia values without significant change of renal function [renal microsomal malondealdehyde (MDA): 8.5+/-0.92 vs 11.4+/-1.72nmol/mg protein, p<0.05, renal phospholipase A2(PLA2) activity: 0.67+/-0.04 vs 0.82+/-0.05 pmol/mg protein/min, p<0.05, Scr: 0.60+/-0.10 vs 0.69+/-0.09mg/dl, p>0.05]. Allopurinol treatment before reperfusion prevented the reflow induced increase of lipid peroxidation at post-reperfusion 15 minutes compared to saline treated control rats [renal microsomal MDA: 11.4+/-1.71 vs 5.5+/-0.65nmol/mg protein, p<0.01), renal PLA2 activity: 0.82+/-0.05 vs 0.32+/-0.03 pmol/mg protein/min, p<0.01]. Ischemia-reperfusion induced renal tubular damages were prevented in allopurinol treated rats.
CONCLUSIONS
Allopurinol treatment before reperfusion of ischemic rats reduced the renal lipid peroxidation and tubular necrosis. The role of oxygen free radicals in ischemia-reperfusion injury was indirectly confirmed.