Hepatocyte growth factor ameliorates renal hemodynamic disorder after ischemia/reperfusion

Ischemic injury of the transplanted kidney is one of the causes of reduced graft survival. The purpose of the present experiment was to examine whether hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) would improve acute renal hemodynamic recovery immediately after cold ischemia. Addition of HGF to the preservation solution during 3 h cold ischemia of dog kidney accelerated both recovery of renal blood flow and glomerular filtration rate (GFR). It is suggested that HGF may be useful for preservation of excised kidney for transplantation. As intrarenal arterial infusion of HGF in normal dog kidney had no effects on renal hemodynamics, mechanisms other than direct vasodilator action of HGF appear to be operating in the protection.