Changes Of The Plasma And Urinary Level Of Endothelin And Its Immunohistochemical Staining After Kidney Transplantation

Objective:To study the changes of endothelin in plasma , urine and al-lograft after kidney transplantation and the possible relationship between endo-thelin system and acute or chronic rejection. Methods: The plasma and urinarylevel of endothelin was determined by radioimmunoassay in 12 patients in theearly period of 3 months after renal transplantation ,and was also determined in43 patients 1 year later including 9 patients with acute rejection,16 patients withchronic rejection and 18 patients with normal kidney function who served as con-trols.Blood pressure,serum creatinine,cyclosporin A blood concentration,urinary132-M excretion were measured simultaneously.lmmunohistochemistry were usedto determine the distribution of ET- I and ET A receptor in 5 cases of acute rejec-tion and 6 cases of chronic rejection. Results: The plasma level of endothelin af-ter transplantation was significantly lower than that before transplantation(P