ENHANCED ENERGY-METABOLISM AT HYPOTHERMIA FOLLOWING ADDITION OF A PROSTACYCLIN DERIVATIVE IN PORCINE LIVER

This study set out to evaluate the effect of a prostacyclin derivative on the dynamics of energy metabolism in the hypothermic liver, both i n the presence or absence of oxygen. Pig livers were harvested accordi ng to clinical protocol and cold stored in University of Wisconsin UW) solution with or without a prostacyclin derivative (iloprost - 10(-8) mmol/l). Livers were positioned in a 1.5 Tesla NMR scanner and phospho rus-31 spectra collected every 2 minutes during the period of cold hyp oxia and were subjected to oxygenated hypothermic reperfusion (HtR). F rom the beta-NTP (nucleotide triphosphates which contains ATP) regener ation profiles following HtR, the iloprost group produced +59.6% (p<0. 01) more beta-NTP compared to the control UW group. The initial rate o f beta-NTP regeneration in the iloprost group was +66.3% greater (p<0. 001). Conversely, during hypoxia, when HtR was stopped, the depletion rate of NTP was 32.6% slower (p<0.02) compared with the control UW gro up. The results show that the inclusion of the prostacyclin derivative , iloprost, to existing organ preservation solutions may have a benefi cial effect on organ viability, with respect to bioenergetic integrity , following short term cold hypoxia.