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Updated: Apr 15, 2026

A Rat Lung Transplantation Model of Warm Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury: Optimizations to Improve Outcomes
Published on: October 28, 2021
Xenon Treatment Protects against Remote Lung Injury after Kidney Transplantation in Rats
Hailin Zhao1, Han Huang, Rele Ologunde
1From the Anaesthetics, Pain Medicine, and Intensive Care, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London, United Kingdom (H.Z., H.H., R.O., D.G.L., H.W., M.P.V., D.M.); Department of Anesthesiology, West China Second Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China (H.H.); The Second Affiliated Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China (Q.L.); and Section of Molecular Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, London, United Kingdom (A.J.T.G.). Current address: Brunel University London, Uxbridge, Middlesex, United Kingdom (A.J.T.G.).
Xenon gas protects lungs from injury caused by kidney transplant ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI). This protective effect is linked to activating the mTOR-HIF-1α pathway and reducing HMGB-1 translocation.
Area of Science:
- Transplantation immunology
- Organ injury mechanisms
- Inhalational anesthetics
Background:
- Ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) in renal grafts can lead to lung damage.
- Understanding mechanisms of remote organ injury is crucial for improving transplant outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the protective effects of xenon exposure against lung injury resulting from renal graft IRI.
- To elucidate the molecular pathways involved in xenon's protective action.
Main Methods:
- In vitro studies used human lung cells (A549) exposed to various stressors.
- In vivo studies involved a rat renal transplantation model with xenon or nitrogen exposure.
- Key molecular markers including p-mTOR, HIF-1α, HMGB-1, and TLR-4/NF-κB were assessed.
Main Results:
- Renal graft IRI induced lung injury in recipients.
- Xenon treatment reduced lung injury, evidenced by lower tissue injury scores.
- Xenon enhanced HIF-1α and p-mTOR, promoting lung cell proliferation and reducing inflammation.
Conclusions:
- Xenon confers protection against lung injury secondary to renal graft IRI.
- The protective mechanism involves activation of the mTOR-HIF-1α pathway.
- Suppression of HMGB-1 translocation is a key factor in xenon's renoprotective effect.
Related Concept Videos
Kidney Transplant II: Surgical Procedure
Kidney Transplant I: Introduction

