THE EFFECT OF ORGAN PRESERVATION SOLUTIONS ON KIDNEY TUBULAR AND ENDOTHELIAL-CELLS

Organ preservation solutions have primarily been tested in whole organ animal models. In the current study, we have examined the effect of c ommonly used organ preservation solutions on both kidney tubular and e ndothelial cells. Primary human endothelial and kidney tubular cells w ere incubated at 4 degrees C in the following solutions: 0.9 % saline (NS), EuroCollins (EC), University of Wisconsin (UW), or Hank's balanc ed salts with 5 % polyethylene glycol(PEG). Cell viability was assesse d by colorimetric measurement of mitochondrial reduction of 3 4,5-dime thylthiazol-2-yl)-2-,5-diphenyltatrazolium bromide (MTT) to purple 1-( 4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-3,5-diphenylformazan. After hypothermic stor age, cells were incubated at 37 degrees C in media with MTT, and the a mount of reduced formazan present was quantified. Endothelial cells pr eserved in PEG displayed the best viability (P < 0.05). UW provided be tter cellular viability than EC or NS (P < 0.05). Control endothelial cells preserved in culture media at 37 degrees C displayed the highest absorbance values (P < 0.01). For kidney tubular cells, UW and PEG pr ovided the best cellular protection (P < 0.05). Control kidney tubular cells cultured in complete media at 37 degrees C displayed the highes t absorbance values (P < 0.01). Although the model presented here was not part of a truly morphological study, it may be more reliable for t he rapid assessment of preservation-induced cell injury than models pr esented in previous morphological studies and may help in the developm ent of improved preservation techniques.