Correlation between renal artery resistance index and serum creatinine level early after renal transplantation / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the relationship between the resistance index (RI) of the renal artery and serum creatinine (Cr) level in patients early (within one month) after renal transplantation.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 123 patients receiving renal transplantation underwent examinations by color Doppler ultrasound for measurement of the RI of the renal artery within one month after the operation. According to the results of RI measurement, the patients were divided into RI≥0.75 and RI<0.75 groups for analyzing the correlation between RI and serum Cr level measured at the same time points.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The RI and Cr levels in patients with RI≥0.75 showed a significant positive correlation (P<0.05), whereas they showed an inverse correlation in patients with RI<0.75 (P<0.05). The patients with RI≥0.75 had significantly lower RI of the renal artery and Cr level than those with RI≥0.75.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>RI is significantly correlated to Cr, and may serve as an indicator for predicting renal graft function after transplantation.</p>

p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibitor suppresses the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in liver from brain dead rats / 中华肝脏病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the suppressive effect on the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in liver from brain dead (BD) rats through inhibition of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway by SB203580.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 30 male Wistar rats weighing from 180 to 200 g were randomly divided into 3 experimental groups: (1) BD group (n = 10): brain death was induced in rats; (2) BD+SB203580 group (n = 10): brain death was successfully induced and SB203580 (10 mg/kg) was given through dorsal vein of penis. After brain death artificial ventilation was maintained for 6 hours and only those with mean arterial blood pressure more than 80 mm Hg (1 mm Hg = 0.133 kPa) were accepted as BD donors. (3) Control group (n = 10): living healthy rats. The expressions of TNFalpha and IL-1beta mRNA in liver tissues were analyzed by RT-PCR and the protein expressions of TNFalpha, IL-1beta and phosphorylated p38MAPK were detected by Western blot.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The phosphorylated p38MAPK detected in the liver in BD group was significantly increased compared with the control group (q = 172.53, P < 0.01), and the expressions of TNFalpha and IL-1beta mRNA and proteins in liver were also significantly increased in BD group compared with the control group (q = 123.99, 135.35, 243.09 and 192.23, respectively, P < 0.01). The phosphorylated p38MAPK was decreased in BD+SB203580 group and significantly decreased compared with the BD group (q = 63.90, P is less than 0.05), but higher than that in control group (q = 108.63, P < 0.01). The expressions of TNFalpha and IL-1beta mRNA and proteins in liver were significantly decreased in BD+SB203580 group compared with the BD group (q = 55.11, 98.13, 61.03 and 50.85, respectively, P < 0.01), but higher than that in control group (q = 68.89, 37.22, 182.06 and 141.38, respectively, P < 0.01). SB203580 can suppress the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the liver of brain dead rats through the inhibition of p38MAPK signaling pathway which may reduce the immunogenicity of donor livers.</p>