Resveratrol prolongs allograft survival after liver transplantation in rats

AIM: To study the immuno-modulatory effect of resveratrol (RES) on allograft rejection after liver transplantation in rats. METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were selected as donors and male Wistar rats as recipients for a rejection model. The recipients were divided into four groups after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLTx). In the RES A, B, and C groups, RES was given intra-peritoneally once a day (25, 50, and 100 mg/kg, respectively) after OLTx, whereas in the control group, vehicle buffer was given intra-peritoneally once a day. The survival time, serum chemistry, production of cytokines, activation of transcription factor NF-κB, and histopathologic findings were then compared among these groups. RESULTS: The mean survival time after OLTx in the RES C group was significantly longer than that in the control group (16.7±1.2 d vs9.3±0.6 d, P<0.01). On the 7th post-transplant day the serum albumin level significantly improved in the RES C group, the serum total bile acid and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels were significantly lower in the RES C group, the serum IL-2 and INF-γlevels were significantly lower in the RES C group, and the activation of transcription factor NF-κB in peripheral blood T lymphocytes was significantly suppressed in the RES A, B, and C groups in comparison to those in the control group. On the 7th post-transplant day, a histological examination revealed apparent difference in the severity of rejection between the RES C group and control group. CONCLUSION: RES has an immuno-suppressive property as well as protective effect on hepatocytes under allograft rejection. It might serve as a novel agent for reducing the severity of hepatic allograft rejection in rats.