Endothelin-1 and big-endothelin concentrations are elevated in liver grafttissue during cold storage and reperfusion

Endothelin (ET) and its precursor big-ET were synchronously analyzed by RIA in liver biopsies and systemic plasma during porcine orthotopic liver tran splantation (OLT) before graft harvesting (phase A), after cold storage (ph ase B), and early (phase C) and late reperfusion (phase D), Tissue and plas ma concentrations were correlated with length of survival and reperfusion, Increased tissue ET/big-ET levels were already detected during phase B (ET: 46 +/- 20; big-ET: 245 +/- 119 pg/mg cytosolic protein) and remained eleva ted in phase C (ET: 49 +/- 16; big-ET: 306 +/- 144 pg/mg) compared to basel ine (ET: 32 +/- 13; big-ET: 185 +/- 164 pg/mg; p < 0.05), In phase D, a rap id concentration decline was detected (ET: 36 +/- 26; big-ET: 163 +/- 138 p g/mg), Systemic ET levels were elevated in phase B (3.4 +/- 3.0 pg/ml), C, (2.8 +/- 1.2 pg/ml) and D (2.6 +/- 2.0 pg/ml), compared to baseline (1.7 +/ - 1.1 pg/ml; p < 0.05). ET/big-ET kinetics in liver tissue and systemic pla sma showed analogous characteristics. Intrahepatic ET accumulation during s torage and early reperfusion could be of relevance for harvest-related dist urbances of hepatic microcirculation, Copyright (C) 2001 S. Karger AG. Base l.