Novel water-soluble hexa(sulfobutyl)fullerene attenuates apoptosis formation after ischemic renal failure

The mechanism for apoptosis induction during the implantation of renal tran splants or ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury might be related to the releas e of free radicals. Hexa(sulfobutyl)fullerene, a strong free radical scaven ger, is an isomeric mixture of polyfunctional C-60 derivative carrying six sulfobutyl groups. To elucidate the role of hexa(sulfobutyl)fullerene in th e I/R induced renal damage of the rat kidneys, we used TUNEL, DNA laddering , quantitative PCR and western blot to evaluate the expression of apoptosis , We found that less apoptotic expression and up-regulation in bcl-x(L), an anti-death gene, was found in the damaged kidneys with hexa(sulfobutyl)ful lerene (100 mu g) pretreatment. It is suggested that the mechanism for hexa (sulfobutyl)fullerene attenuating I/R induced apoptosis in the rat kidney m ay be ascribed to the overexpression of bcl-x(L).