We compared the ability of human red blood cells (RBC) and a cell-free oxygen carrier to maintain isolated perfused kidney function under moderately hypoxic conditions. Recirculating perfusate was gassed initially with 93% air-7% CO2, and, after 30 min, the gas was changed to 12 O2-7 CO2-81% N2. Oxygen content of the perfusate was increased with RBC (30 g/l Hbg) or highly purified human hemoglobin Ao (HbAo) polymerized with O-raffinose (o-R-poly-Hb, 30 g/l Hbg). For comparison, kidneys were perfused with 60 g/l of bovine serum albumin (BSA) alone. The effects of unmodified hemoglobin were examined by adding 5 g/l of nonpolymerized HbAo to the BSA perfusate after 20 min. The effect of increasing oxygen delivery without hemoglobin was examined by switching to 93% O2 after 20 min during some BSA perfusions (BSA-HiO2). Vascular resistance decreased progressively in o-R-poly-Hb- and BSA-HiO2-perfused kidneys but remained constant in other experiments. Nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) prevented vasodilation and increased the filtration fraction of o-R-poly-Hb-perfused kidneys with no change in other functions. L-NAME also prevented the formation of methemoglobin. After a 70-min perfusion with BSA, Na reabsorption was 82 +/- 3% (means +/- SD), and inulin clearance [glomerular filtration rate (GFR)] was 0.66 +/- 0.33 ml.min-1.g-1. RBC increased reabsorption to 95% (85-98%) (median, 25th-75th percentile) but did not alter GFR (0.52 +/- 0.26 ml.min-1.g-1). o-R-poly-Hb increased Na reabsorption proportionately more than GFR, so that, while GFR was doubled to 1.04 +/- 0.40 ml.min-1.g-1, Na reabsorption increased to 98% (92-99.5%). HbAo increased GFR to 1.07 +/- 0.44 ml.min-1.g-1 and increased reabsorption to 89 +/- 6%.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Hemolink, an oxidized, ring-opened raffinose-crosslinked hemoglobin-based oxygen carrier produced by Hemosol Inc., stimulates esophageal peristalsis, possibly by interference with neural NO-mediated effects. The effects of Hemolink on jejunal tone and contractions, arterial pressure and heart rate were measured in anesthetized rats, and the effect of selected agents in attenuating or reversing these effects was studied. Infusion of L-NAME was used to validate the study model; it caused an immediate increase in tone and initiated phasic contractions indicating that the model was responsive to NO-mediated effects. Hemolink administration caused effects on intestinal motor function similar to those caused by L-NAME, including increases in basal tone and contraction amplitude. Rat whole blood caused none of these changes. The Hemolink-induced effects were less immediate in some animals compared to those observed after L-NAME. As well there was greater inter-animal variability on the effects. Hemolink administration also caused a mild increase in arterial blood pressure and a reciprocal decrease in heart rate in some animals. Co-administration of morphine, a common analgesic that has been reported to influence the motility of the GI tract; L-arginine, a substrate for NO synthesis; and glycopyrrolate, an anti-cholinergic agent, did not significantly modulate the Hemolink effects, whereas nitroglycerin, an NO donor; and nifedipine, a slow calcium-channel blocker, attenuated or reversed these effects.