IMPROVED SMALL-INTESTINAL PRESERVATION AFTER LAZAROID U74389G TREATMENT AND COLD-STORAGE IN UNIVERSITY-OF-WISCONSIN SOLUTION

The small intestine (SI) is highly sensitive to oxygen free radical-in duced injury. The most common preservation solution, University of Wis consin (UW) solution, does not adequately prevent free radical-induced injury, Lazaroids, and U743896 in particular, are a new class of comp ound that are potent inhibitors of superoxide-mediated lipid peroxidat ion. We studied the added influence of U74389G to 18-hr cold preservat ion of rat SI in UW solution. Three groups of rats were studied. In gr oup 1, SI was excised and reperfused immediately, In group 2, SI was s tored in UW solution at 4 degrees C for 18 hr. In group 3, U74389G was given to the SI graft before storage and again before reperfusion, Bl ood reperfusion of the grafts was achieved via connection to the super ior mesenteric artery and portal vein of support rats. Functional reco very was assessed using a maltose tolerance test. Weight changes were calculated and histologic studies done. After 30 and 60 min of reperfu sion, maltose uptake in group 3 was significantly better than that of the group 2, and returned to control levels. Significantly more tissue swelling was noted in group 3 over control, but the magnitude was les s than that of group 2. Less transmural necrosis and villous blunting were noted in group 3 versus group 2; the appearance of the mucosa in group 3 approached that of group 1. We conclude that the use of U74389 G treatment in addition to cold storage in UW solution improves recove ry of graft function and minimizes morphologic damage to the small int estinal mucosa.