Carbon monoxide improves outcomes in tissue and organ transplants and suppresses apoptosis
View Patent ↗The present invention features methods for transplanting organs, tissues and individual cells. Also featured are methods for maintaining cells in vitro and for enhancing survival and/or function of cells following transplantation. The methods include the administration of carbon monoxide in an amount sufficient to enhance cell survival and/or function.
1. A method of transplanting an organ, the method comprising:
(a) administering to a donor by inhalation a gaseous pharmaceutical composition comprising carbon monoxide;
(b) obtaining from the donor an organ selected from the group consisting of: kidney, liver, heart, skin, small intestine, and pancreas; and
(c) transplanting the organ into a recipient, wherein the amount of carbon monoxide administered to the donor in step (a) is sufficient to enhance survival or function of the organ after transplantation into the recipient.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition is administered to a live donor.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition is administered to a brain-dead donor.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition comprising carbon monoxide is administered to the donor prior to and following brain death.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising treating the organ in situ in the donor with a second pharmaceutical composition comprising carbon monoxide.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising treating the organ ex vivo, prior to the transplantation step, with a second pharmaceutical composition comprising carbon monoxide.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of administering to the recipient by inhalation a second gaseous pharmaceutical composition comprising carbon monoxide before, during, or after step (c).
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the second pharmaceutical composition is administered to the recipient before (c).
9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition comprising carbon monoxide is administered to the recipient during (c).
10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition comprising carbon monoxide is administered to the recipient after (c).
11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition comprising carbon monoxide is administered to the recipient before and during (c).
12. The method of claim 7 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition comprising carbon monoxide is administered to the recipient before and after (c).
13. The method of claim 7 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition comprising carbon monoxide is administered to the recipient before, during, and after (c).
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the organ is a liver.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the organ is a kidney.
16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the organ is a heart.
17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the organ is a pancreas.
18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the organ is a small intestine.
19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the organ is skin.
20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the donor is of a species different from that of the recipient.
21. The method of claim 1 , wherein the donor and the recipient are of the same species.
22. The method of claim 1 , wherein both the donor and the recipient are non-human animals.
23. The method of claim 1 , wherein both the donor and the recipient are humans.
24. The method of claim 1 , wherein the donor is a non-human animal and the recipient is a human.
25. The method of claim 1 , wherein, prior to step (a), the donor is identified as being suitable for donating an organ.
26. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition administered to the donor is supplied in the form of a pressurized gas in a vessel.
27. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition is administered to the donor during (b).
28. The method of claim 2 , wherein, prior to step (a), the donor is identified as being suitable for donating an organ.
29. The method of claim 2 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition administered to the donor is supplied in the form of a pressurized gas in a vessel.
30. The method of claim 2 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition is administered to the donor during (b).
31. The method of claim 5 , wherein, prior to step (a), the donor is identified as being suitable for donating an organ.
32. The method of claim 5 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition administered to the donor is supplied in the form of a pressurized gas in a vessel.
33. The method of claim 5 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition is administered to the donor during (b).
34. The method of claim 14 , wherein, prior to step (a), the donor is identified as being suitable for donating an organ.
35. The method of claim 14 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition administered to the donor is supplied in the form of a pressurized gas in a vessel.
36. The method of claim 14 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition is administered to the donor during (b).
37. The method of claim 15 , wherein, prior to step (a), the donor is identified as being suitable for donating an organ.
38. The method of claim 15 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition administered to the donor is supplied in the form of a pressurized gas in a vessel.
39. The method of claim 15 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition is administered to the donor during (b).
40. The method of claim 16 , wherein, prior to step (a), the donor is identified as being suitable for donating an organ.
41. The method of claim 16 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition administered to the donor is supplied in the form of a pressurized gas in a vessel.
42. The method of claim 16 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition is administered to the donor during (b).
43. The method of claim 17 , wherein, prior to step (a), the donor is identified as being suitable for donating an organ.
44. The method of claim 17 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition administered to the donor is supplied in the form of a pressurized gas in a vessel.
45. The method of claim 17 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition is administered to the donor during (b).
46. The method of claim 18 , wherein, prior to step (a), the donor is identified as being suitable for donating an organ.
47. The method of claim 18 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition administered to the donor is supplied in the form of a pressurized gas in a vessel.
48. The method of claim 18 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition is administered to the donor during (b).
49. The method of claim 21 , wherein, prior to step (a), the donor is identified as being suitable for donating an organ.
50. The method of claim 21 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition administered to the donor is supplied in the form of a pressurized gas in a vessel.
51. The method of claim 21 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition is administered to the donor during (b).
52. The method of claim 23 , wherein, prior to step (a), the donor is identified as being suitable for donating an organ.
53. The method of claim 23 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition administered to the donor is supplied in the form of a pressurized gas in a vessel.
54. The method of claim 23 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition is administered to the donor during (b).