Oxidative DNA Damage Is Increased in Living Kidney Donors

Area of Science:

• Nephrology
• Oxidative Stress Research
• Transplantation Immunology

Background:

• Donor nephrectomy may lead to reduced kidney function, cardiovascular disease, and impaired quality of life.
• Systemic oxidative DNA damage is a potential long-term consequence for living kidney donors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the relationship between clinical, laboratory, and donation-specific outcomes in living kidney donors.
• To assess systemic oxidative DNA damage and its correlation with donor characteristics.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study of 60 living kidney donors with retrospective data analysis (2010-2015).
• Measured plasma malondialdehyde and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine/deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG/dG) ratio as oxidative stress markers.
• Assessed antioxidant enzyme activities including catalase, carbonic anhydrase, and paraoxonase (PON).

Main Results:

• Post-donation, 12% of donors were hypertensive and 11% had reduced glomerular filtration rate (<60 mL/min/1.73 m²).
• Significant increases in mean serum urea and creatinine, and a decrease in creatinine clearance were observed post-donation.
• Positive correlations found between predonation serum urea/creatinine and 8-OHdG/dG ratio; negative correlation between serum creatinine and PON activity.

Conclusions:

• Kidney donors exhibit elevated oxidative DNA damage and diminished antioxidant activity.
• Predonation serum creatinine is a predictor of increased oxidative DNA damage and reduced antioxidant PON activity.
• This study is the first to demonstrate increased plasma oxidative DNA damage in healthy kidney donors.