[Ouabain-containing Euro-Collins solution prevents ATN following renal cold storage]

In view of the hypothesis that suppression of energy demand may prevent ischemic cell damage, it seemed possible that suppression of ATP utilization during ischemia might ameliorate the severity of renal failure following kidney preservation. To test this possibility, a short-term in situ kidney preservation model was prepared in dogs. Euro-Collins solution containing 10(-5) M ouabain (O-EC) was used as the preservation solution. The kidney was preserved with cold O-EC for two hours and reperfused with auto blood. As the control, the kidney was treated with Euro-Collins solution (EC) alone. Three hours after reperfusion, recovery of creatinine clearance was 47.4 +/- 8.0% in the control and 71.6 +/- 14.0% in the O-EC group (p < 0.02). The increase in urinary excretion of N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase was significantly lower in the O-EC group. It was 21.3 +/- 4.5 nU/gr renal weight for three hours after reperfusion in the control group and 7.2 +/- 1.5 nU/gr renal weight in the O-EC group (p < 0.05). Fractional excretion of sodium three hours after reperfusion was 1.42 +/- 0.44% and 5.51 +/- 0.63% in the control and O-EC groups (p < 0.002), respectively. There were no significant differences in renal blood flow, urine volume and urine osmolality between the two groups. These results suggest that ouabain-containing EC was effective in protecting the kidney, especially renal proximal tubular cell, against ischemic damage.