ADENINE-NUCLEOTIDE METABOLISM IN RELATION TO GRAFT VIABILITY IN RAT SMALL-BOWEL TRANSPLANTATION

The relation between the level of cellular adenine nucleotides and gra ft viability after cold preservation and warm ischemia was studied by using a rat small-bower transplantation model. The rat jejunum was pre served in lactated Ringer's solution at 4 degrees C for 120 min, and w as then transplanted syngeneically under warm ischemia after between 6 0 and 180 min. The recovery levels of ATP and the energy charge at 30 min after reperfusion in the viable graft were significantly higher th an those in the nonviable graft. None of the grafts were viable when t he recovery level of ATP at 30 min after reperfusion was less than 2.8 mu mol/g dry weight. These results suggest that the recovery level of ATP at 30 min after reperfusion is a reliable parameter for graft via bility in small-bower transplantation.