Related Experiment Videos
5-Lipoxygenase gene expression in hemodialysis
E Menegatti1, D Roccatello, D Rossi
1Dipartimento di Medicina e Oncologia Sperimentale, Sezione di Patologia Generale, Università di Torino, Italy.
Artificial Organs
|March 10, 1998
Summary
Hemodialysis membranes can activate immune cells. This study found that Cuprophan membranes, but not PMMA, increased 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO) gene expression in patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD).
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Immunology
- Nephrology
Background:
- Leukotrienes (LTs) are inflammatory mediators produced via the eicosanoid pathway.
- LTs are biomarkers for polymorphonuclear cell and monocyte activation.
- The 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO) enzyme is crucial for LT synthesis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO) in the interaction between blood and hemodialysis (HD) membranes.
- To determine if HD membranes upregulate 5-LO gene expression.
Main Methods:
- Examined 5-LO gene expression using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).
- Analyzed mononuclear cells from peripheral blood of 10 chronic HD patients.
- Compared patients treated with Cuprophan (n=5) versus polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) (n=5) membranes.
Main Results:
- Increased 5-LO gene expression was observed at 15 minutes of HD in 4 out of 5 patients using Cuprophan membranes.
- No significant increase in 5-LO gene expression was detected in patients using PMMA membranes.
- Blood-membrane interaction was shown to upregulate 5-LO messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA).
Conclusions:
- The interaction between blood and hemodialysis membranes can upregulate 5-LO gene expression.
- Cuprophan membranes appear to induce a greater inflammatory response compared to PMMA membranes.
- This finding highlights a potential mechanism for membrane-induced inflammation during hemodialysis.