Advanced glycation and inflammatory phenomena in renal transplantation

PhD ceremony: Mr. S. Gross, 16.15 uur, Academiegebouw, Broerstraat 5, Groningen

Thesis: Advanced glycation and inflammatory phenomena in renal transplantation

Promotor(s): prof. R.O.B. Gans, prof. S.J.L. Bakker

Faculty: Medical Sciences

The function of a kidney is to remove toxic substances from the blood en to excrete them with the urine. Since a transplanted kidney does not work 100% efficient, toxic substances such as AGEs can accumulate on renal transplant recipients. These AGEs (abbreviation for Advanced Glycation End-products) are present in everyday meals and develop spontaneous in the body due to e.g. high blood sugar (diabetes). It is thought that AGEs have bad effects by connecting proteins or causing chronic inflammation. This can lead to damaging of blood vessels, which enhances the chance to die. The results of this thesis showed that indeed the presence of AGEs were associated with a higher risk for dieing, while the presence of S100B was not. This suggests that the presence of AGEs is an important risk factor for death after renal transplantation and that AGEs cause damage to blood vessel by connecting proteins rather than by causing chronic inflammation.