Abstract

• Objective
  This study was aimed to investigate whether there is any change in palsma nitric oxide during acute rejection of infection after lung allotransplantation.
• Methods
  After lung allotransplantation, dogs were immunosuppressed with standardized triple therapy and divided into 3 groups : in group 1(control: n=4), immunosuppression was maintained; in group 2(n=7), triple therapy discontinued to induce acute rejection at the postoperative day 5; in group 3(n=6), infection was inudced by bronchoscopic inoculation of E. coli at the postoperative day 5. Plasma nitric oxide was measured by chemiluminescene method prior to surgery(day 0), and at postoperative day 5 and 9. In each group, plasma nitric oxide level at day 9 was compared to that at day 0. Plasma nitric oxide levels at day 9 were compared in three groups.
• Results
  During acute rejection period, plasma nitric oxide concentration was found to be elevated significantly at postoperative day 9, compared to day 0(11.52±2.58 vs 6.01±0.88uM/L ; p<0.05). However, plasma nitric oxide concentration wasn't altered by the E. coli-induced infection(14.53±5.19 vs 6.12±0.98uM/L ; p>0.05). Plasma nitric oxide of day 9 weren't different in three groups(p>0.05).
• Conclusion
  Plasma nitric oxide may be a good marker for acute rejection after allotrans-plantation, but not for infection.
• Keywords: Lung transplantation; Acute rejection; Infection; Nitric oxide