AMELIORATION BY KUPFFER CELL BLOCKADE IN HEPATIC DAMAGE-INDUCED BY COLD PRESERVATION WITH SUBSEQUENT PLASMA-SUPPLEMENTED PERFUSION

The effects of Kupffer cell blockade with gadolinium chloride (GdCl3) on hepatic injury in the cold preservation with subsequent perfusion w as investigated, The condition of the liver grafts which were cold-pre served in University of Wisconsin solution was evaluated by measuring the uptake rates of indocyanine green and hyaluronic acid (IUR and HUR ), two indices of liver damage. Perfusion injuries after cold storage occurred in 24-hr-preserved liver and progressed further in 36-hr-pres erved liver. GdCl3 prevented the decrease in IUR and ameliorated perfu sion injuries in the 36-hr-preserved liver, although GdCl3 did not inh ibit the decrease in PUR, The HURs were remarkably decreased in the li vers stored even for 6 hr, for which the cold-preserved livers were qu ite viable, whereas IURs were significantly decreased in livers stored for 24 hr or more when perfusion injury was apparently developed. The se results suggest that the IUR is an indicator of hepatic perfusion i njury in preserved livers and that Kupffer cell blockade may be a prom ising strategy for the prevention of hepatic injury after cold preserv ation with subsequent perfusion. (C) 1996 Academic Press, Inc.