Impaired metabolism in donor kidney grafts after steroid pretreatment

We recently showed in a randomized control trial that steroid pretreatment of the deceased organ donor suppressed inflammation in the transplant organ but did not reduce the rate or duration of delayed graft function (DGF). This study sought to elucidate such of those factors that caused DGF in the steroid‐treated subjects. Genome‐wide gene expression profiles were used from 20 steroid‐pretreated donor‐organs and were analyzed on the level of regulatory protein–protein interaction networks. Significance analysis of microarrays (SAM) yielded 63 significantly down‐regulated sequences associated with DGF that could be functionally categorized according to Protein ANalysis THrough Evolutionary Relationships ontologies into two main biologic processes: transport (P < 0.001) and metabolism (P < 0.001). The identified genes suggest hypoxia as the cause of DGF, which cannot be counterbalanced by steroid treatment. Our data showed that molecular pathways affected by ischemia such as transport and metabolism are associated with DGF. Potential interventional targeted therapy based on these findings includes peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor agonists or caspase inhibitors.