Ex vivo delivery of recombinant IL-10 to human donor lungs.
Yeung, J. C., et al.JHLT Open 2025; 7: 100192.
Aims
This study aimed to investigate whether recombinant interleukin-10 (rIL-10) delivery to injured donor lungs on ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP) would improve the lungs for transplantation.
Interventions
Participants were randomised to receive either intravenous (IV) rIL-10, intratracheal (IT) rIL-10, or saline.
Participants
15 injured human lungs clinically declined for transplantation.
Outcomes
The key outomes of interest were perfusate IL-10 levels by method of delivery; IL-10 protein levels in lung tissue by method of delivery; IL-10 levels in lung tissue at proximal airways, middle airways, and distal lung following IT delivery; ex vivo lung physiologic parameters; and lung cytokine expression.
Follow-up
12 hours
CET Conclusions
This is an extracorporeal study on discarded human lungs using normothermic machine perfusion. Whilst on the device, lungs were randomised to receive 1 of 3 treatments: Placebo saline in perfusate, IL-10 in perfusate, or intra-tracheal, aerosolised, IL-10. The machines were using the Toronto Ex-Vivo Lung Perfusion (EVLP) protocol for 12 hours. Mulitple ventilatory and perfusion parameters were collected. There is no comment on method of randomisation, power calculation or blinding. The study found that when added to the perfusate, the levels of IL-10 fell significantly within 12 hours. When it was delivered by aerosol, IL-10 gradually built up in the perfusate. IL-10 levels in lung tissue were highest when delivered by aerosol. In this small study the IL-10, whether delivered by aerosol or perfusate, did not affect lung function or cytokine production.
Data analysis
Per protocol analysis
Trial registration
N/A