Gene Delivery of Cu/Zn–Superoxide Dismutase Improves Graft Function After Transplantation of Fatty Livers in the Rat

作者：Thorsten Lehmann, Michael D. Wheeler, Robert F. Schwabe, Henry D. Connor, Robert Schoonhoven, Hartwig Bunzendahl, David A. Brenner, Jude Samulski, Zhi Zhong, Ronald G. Thurman · 发表于：Hepatology · 年份：2000 · DOI：10.1053/jhep.2000.19814 · 被引用次数：83 · 研究领域：Organ Transplantation Techniques and Outcomes、Liver Disease and Transplantation、Liver Disease Diagnosis and Treatment

Oxygen-derived free radicals play a central role in reperfusion injury after organ transplantation, and fatty livers are particularly susceptible. Endogenous radical scavengers such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) degrade these radicals; however, SOD is destroyed rapidly when given exogenously. Therefore, an adenoviral vector encoding the Cu/Zn-SOD gene (Ad.SOD1) was used here to test the hypothesis that organ injury would be reduced and survival increased in a rat model of transplantation of fatty livers. Donors received chow diet (untreated), high-fat diet, or ethanol-containing high-fat diet. Some of the ethanol-fed donors were infected either with the gene lacZ encoding bacterial beta-galactosidase (Ad.lacZ), or Ad.SOD1. After liver transplantation, SOD activity and protein expression in liver, survival, histopathology, release of transaminases, free radical adducts in bile, and activation of NF-kappaB, IkappaB kinase (IKK), Jun-N-terminal kinase (JNK), and TNFalpha were evaluated. Ad.SOD1 treatment increased survival dramatically, blunted transaminase release, and reduced necrosis and apoptosis significantly. Free radical adducts were increased two-fold in the ethanol group compared with untreated controls. Ad. SOD1 blunted this increase and reduced the activation of NF-kappaB. However, release of TNFalpha was not affected. Ad.SOD1 also blunted JNK activity after transplantation. This study shows that gene therapy with Ad.SOD1 protects marginal livers from failure after tr...