Selectin blockade plus therapy with low-dose sirolimus and cyclosporin A prevent brain death-induced renal allograft dysfunction

Both antigen-dependent and -independent factors influence long-term organ allograft function and survival. Brain death (BD), a significant antigen-independent, donor-related injury upregulates a variety of inflammatory mediators in peripheral organs. One of the earliest responses to such an insult is the expression of selectins by endothelial cells of the transplanted tissues; these in turn trigger a cascade of nonspecific events, that enhance host alloresponses and which may be worsened by toxic effects of long-term immunosuppression. Using a rat model in which donor BD accentuates subsequent renal allograft injury, we have tested the effects of therapy with recombinant P-selectin glycoprotein ligand (rPSGL-Ig) alone, or in combination with sirolimus (SRL) and cyclosporin A. We found that in contrast to the effects of standard doses of SRL or cyclosporine, rPSGL-Ig decreased inflammation in the early posttransplant period such that lower doses of maintenance immunosuppression were sufficient to maintain long-term graft function.