Lei Wang, PhD
Assistant Professor, College of Medicine,
Molecular Pharmacology & Physiology
University of South Florida
“Macula densa NOS1 and Kidney Graft Function”
Kidney transplantation is a life-saving procedure for patients with end-stage kidney disease, however, renal ischemia-reperfusion injury is inevitable during kidney transplantation and is an important contributor to the development of delayed graft function after transplantation which is associated with higher rejection rates and worse long-term outcomes. Our study is to investigate the role of NOS1 in the macula densa and NOS1-mediated TGF response in the prevention of ischemia-reperfusion injury and protection of transplanted graft function. We found that renal alkalization increased macula densa NOS1 expression, which blunted NOS1-mediated TGF response and, therefore, improved kidney function. In a murine kidney transplantation model, enhanced macula densa NOS1 expression by renal alkalization in donors or recipients protected the donor kidney against injury induced by warm and cold ischemia and improved transplanted graft function. This study provides a novel mechanism and a potential therapeutic target for the improvement of renal graft function.
Friday, March 11, 2022, 11:00AM-12:00PM, EAD-406
University of North Texas Health Science Center
Fort Worth, Texas