Hydrogen Gas Preserves Kidney Transplants and Reduces Rejection Risk
- Authors
- Kotaro Nishi, Satomi Iwai, Kazuki Tajima, Shozo Okano, Motoaki Sano, Eiji Kobayashi
- Journal
- Frontiers in Immunology
- Year
- 2021
- DOI
- 10.3389/fimmu.2020.626295
- Study Type
- Pig
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- Japan
- Health Condition
- Chronic Kidney Disease
- Body System
- Renal
TL;DR
Treating donor kidneys with hydrogen gas can reduce the risk of long-term rejection in transplants from less ideal donors.
Key Finding
Hydrogen gas-treated kidney preservation solution combined with optimal immunosuppressive drugs significantly reduced chronic rejection in marginal kidney grafts in a pig transplant model, with most grafts remaining free of rejection-related damage beyond 100 days.
Summary
Researchers tested whether hydrogen gas added to a kidney preservation solution could prevent long-term rejection in transplanted kidneys from marginal donors (those with lower quality organs). Using a pig model, they transplanted kidneys preserved with hydrogen gas and gave the animals strong anti-rejection medications. Most transplanted kidneys survived over 100 days without developing chronic rejection, a condition where scar tissue and inflammation gradually damage the graft.
Practical Takeaway
This is early-stage research in pigs, not humans, so it's too soon to draw conclusions about hydrogen water for kidney transplant patients. The study suggests hydrogen gas in preservation solutions may help protect marginal donor kidneys during transplantation, but human clinical trials would be needed to confirm whether this approach could improve outcomes in actual transplant recipients.
Abstract
In clinical kidney transplantation, the marginal kidney donors are known to develop chronic allograft rejection more frequently than living kidney donors. In our previous study, we have reported that the hydrogen gas-containing organ preservation solution prevented the development of acute injuries in the kidney of the donor after cardiac death by using preclinical miniature pig model. In the present study, we verified the impact of hydrogen gas treatment in transplantation with the optimal immunosuppressive protocol based on human clinical setting by using the miniature pig model. Marginal kidney processed by hydrogen gas-containing preservation solution has been engrafted for long-term (longer than 100 days). A few cases showed chronic rejection reaction; however, most were found to be free of chronic rejection such as graft tissue fibrosis or renal vasculitis. We concluded that marginal kidney graft from donor after cardiac death is an acceptable model for chronic rejection and that if the transplantation is carried out using a strict immunosuppressive protocol, chronic rejection may be alleviated even with the marginal kidney.