Zinc preconditioning protects against renal ischaemia reperfusion injury in a preclinical sheep large animal model

Abstract

Ischaemia–reperfusion injury (IRI) during various surgical procedures, including partial nephrectomy for kidney cancer or renal transplantation, is a major cause of acute kidney injury and chronic kidney disease. Currently there are no drugs or methods for protecting human organs, including the kidneys, against the peril of IRI. The aim of this study was therefore to investigate the reno-protective effect of Zn 2+ preconditioning in a clinically relevant large animal sheep model of IRI. Further the reno-protective effectiveness of Zn 2+ preconditioning was tested on normal human kidney cell lines HK-2 and HEK293. Anaesthetised sheep were subjected to uninephrectomy and 60 min of renal ischae..