ASSESSMENT OF HEPATIC GRAFT INJURY BY GRAFT EFFLUENT IN RODENTS - N-ACETYL-BETA-GLUCOSAMINIDASE AND TYPE-III PROCOLLAGEN PEPTIDE

We studied the significance of N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase (beta-NAG ) and type III procollagen peptide (P-III-P) in the effluent of rodent hepatic grafts. After total hepatectomy, the livers were preserved in chilled, lactated Ringer's solution and then divided into five groups (n = 10 each): group 1, 4 h preservation only; group 2, 4 h preservat ion and rewarming; group 3, 6 h preservation only; group 4, 6 h preser vation and rewarming; and group 5, minimal preservation only. The beta -NAG of groups 2 and 4 was significantly higher than that of groups 1 and 3 (0.98 +/- 0.5 U/l vs 0.21 +/- 0.12 U/l; P < 0.01 and 1.76 +/- 0. 67 U/l vs 0.38 +/- 0.25 U/l, respectively; P < 0.01), while that of gr oup 4 was significantly higher than that of group 2 (1.76 +/- 0.67 U/l vs 0.98 +/- 0.50 U/l; P < 0.05). The P-III-P of group 4 was significa ntly higher than that of group 2 (0.133 +/- 0.008 U/ml vs 0.110 +/- 0. 015 U/ml; P < 0.01). We conclude that beta-NAG is a novel parameter of parenchymal and nonparenchymal cells, while P-III-P reflects the inte grity of the hepatic sinusoidal extracellular matrix.