Background: Renal ischemia reperfusion injury (RIRI) is one of the most common causes of acute renal failure. Erythropoietin (EPO) is the main hematopoietic hormone that has recently been shown to exert important cytoprotective effect on different non-erythroid cells such as neuronal cells and cardiomyocyte. Aim: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of pretreatment with EPO on RIRI and to determine its possible protective mechanisms. Methods: 28 adult male albino rats were allocated into four experimental groups: sham-operated, EPO, RIRI and EPO + RIR. Rats underwent 45 minutes ischemia followed by 24 hours reperfusion. EPO was administered 1 hour before onset of ischemia. Serum concentrations of urea and creatinine were measured. Kidney samples were taken for measurement of malondialdehyde (MDA), Reduced glutathione (GSH) and tumor necrosis alpha (TNF-α) as well as for detection of histopathological signs of renal tissue injury and immunohistochemical assessment of Transforming growth factor beta1 (TGFβ1) and Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF).Results: RIRI caused a significant increase in the level of serum urea, serum creatinine, renal tissue (MDA, TNFα, TGFβ1 and VEGF) while there were significant decrease in renal GSH level. Our results were supported with histopathological changes in renal tissues which showed massive tubular epithelial necrosis, massive inflammatory cell infiltrate with extensive tubular cast. However, these parameters significantly reversed by EPO pretreatment. Conclusion, EPO pretreatment showed a nephroprotective effect against the development of RIRI with a significant preservation of kidney functions and structure that can be explained by the anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-fibrogenic and proangiogenic effects of EPO treatment. |
