Machine perfusion at 20°C reduces preservation damage to livers from non-heart beating donors

• DOI: 10.1016/j.cryobiol.2011.02.004
• Publication Date: 2011-02-11T09:27:10Z
• Authors: Andrea Ferrigno; Vittoria Rizzo; Eleonora Boncompagni; Alberto Bianchi; Enrico Gringeri; Daniele Neri; Plinio Richelmi; Isabel Freitas; Umberto Cillo; Mariapia Vairetti
• Keywords: Male; LIVER; 610; NON-HEART BEATING DONORS; 612; 03 medical and health sciences; Adenosine Triphosphate; 0302 clinical medicine; Glutamate Dehydrogenase; Animals; Bile; Aspartate Aminotransferases; Sulfhydryl Compounds; Rats, Wistar; Glutathione Disulfide; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; Organ Preservation; Glutathione; Portal Pressure; Tissue Donors; Rats; Cold Temperature; Perfusion; MACHINE PERFUSION PRESERVATION; Liver; Reperfusion; Glycogen

We previously reported that machine perfusion (MP) performed at 20°C enhanced the preservation of steatotic rat livers. Here, we tested whether rat livers retrieved 30 min after cardiac arrest (NHBDs) were better protected by MP at 20°C than with cold storage. We compared the recovery of livers from NHBDs with organs obtained from heart beating donors (HBDs) preserved by cold storage. MP technique: livers were perfused for 6h with UW-G modified at 20°C. Cold storage: livers were perfused in situ and preserved with UW solution at 4°C for 6h. Both MP and cold storage preserved livers were reperfused with Krebs-Heinselet buffer (2h at 37°C). AST and LDH release and mitochondrial glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) levels were evaluated. Parameters assessed included: bile production and biliary enzymes; tissue ATP; reduced and oxidized glutathione (GSH/GSSG); protein-SH group concentration. Livers preserved by MP at 20°C showed significantly lower hepatic damage at the end of reperfusion compared with cold storage. GDH release was significantly reduced and bile production, ATP levels, GSH/GSSG and protein-SH groups were higher in livers preserved by MP at 20°C than with cold storage. The best preserved morphology and high glycogen content was obtained with livers submitted to MP at 20°C. Liver recovery using MP at 20°C was comparable to recovery with HBDs. MP at 20°C improves cell survival and gives a better-quality of preservation for livers obtained from NHBDs and may provide a new method for the successful utilization of marginal livers.