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Updated: Aug 29, 2026
Orthotopic Small Bowel Transplantation in Rats
Published on: November 6, 2012
Administration of nitric oxide with caspase inhibitors minimizes bacterial translocation in experimental intestinal
Daniel Azuara1, Anna Sola, Georgina Hotter
1Department of Surgery and Surgical Specialities, University of Barcelona School of Medicine-Campus Bellvitge, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.
Background:
Bacterial translocation (BT) has been suggested to be responsible for the high incidence of infections occurring after small-bowel transplantation (Trp). Nitric oxide (NO) and apoptosis could affect cell demise. The aim of this study was to asses whether supplementation of University of Wisconsin (UW) solution with NO donors and apoptosis inhibitors can abolish BT in Trp.
Methods:
The following experimental groups were studied: sham, Trp, intestinal transplantation, Trp+spermine NONOate (NONOs), and Trp+NONOs+caspase inhibitor Z-Val-Ala-Asp(Ome)-fluoromethylketone(Z-VAD-fmk). Histologic analysis, caspase-3 activity, DNA fragmentation, and BT from graft to mesenteric lymph nodes, liver, and spleen were measured in tissue samples after transplantation.
Results:
During intestinal transplantation, apoptosis and necrosis were increased, showing graft injury and high levels of BT. The rats treated with NONOs showed a histologic protection of transplanted graft and a decrease in BT despite caspase-3 and DNA fragmentation-inducing effects. Administration of caspase inhibitor Z-VAD to NONOs-treated rats reversed the NO apoptosis-inducing effects and showed the lowest levels of BT in all tissues.
Conclusions:
Exogenous administration of NO associated with the inhibition of apoptosis maintains the graft in optimal conditions in terms of BT and improves the histology of the graft after intestinal transplantation in rats.
