The Protective Effect Of Caspase Inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK On Lung Ischemia-reperfusion Injury After Lung Transplantation In Rats

ObjectiveIschemia-reperfusion-induced lung injury may lead to primary graft failure and remain a significant cause of morbidity and mortality after lung transplantation. Ischemia-reperfusion lung injury is associated with apoptotic cell death. Caspase are the key executioners of apoptosis. We hypothesized that caspase inhibitor might inhibit apoptosis and protect lung from IR injury. To establish rat orthotopic left pulmonary transplantation by the"cuff-like"vessel anastomosis technique, to observe the dynamic changes of alveolar apoptosis in ischemia-reperfusion induced pulmonary injury, to evaluate the protective effect of caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK on lung ischemia-reperfusion injury after transplantation in rats. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether caspase inhibitor is effective in reducing lung ischemia-reperfusion injury.MethodsWe established rat orthotopic left pulmonary transplantation, in which the anastomosis of pulmonary artery, vein and bronchus was performed by using the cuff technique . 60 rats were randomly divided into two groups:GroupA(n=15): male SD rats underwent left lung transplantation with isografts from SD rats(Donor lungs stored in 40 ml of 4℃HTK for a period of 6 h cold ischemic storage time). GroupB(n=15): male SD rats underwent left lung transplantation with isografts from SD rats(Donor lungs stored in 40 ml of 4℃HTK and 25μΜcaspase inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK...