Amelioration by Kupffer Cell Blockade in Hepatic Damage Induced by Cold Preservation with Subsequent Plasma-Supplemented Perfusion

Abstract The effects of Kupffer cell blockade with gadolinium chloride (GdCl 3 ) on hepatic injury in the cold preservation with subsequent perfusion was investigated. The condition of the liver grafts which were cold-preserved in University of Wisconsin solution was evaluated by measuring the uptake rates of indocyanine green and hyaluronic acid (IUR and HUR), two indices of liver damage. Perfusion injuries after cold storage occurred in 24-hr-preserved liver and progressed further in 36-hr-preserved liver. GdCl 3 prevented the decrease in IUR and ameliorated perfusion injuries in the 36-hr-preserved liver, although GdCl 3 did not inhibit the decrease in HUR. The HURs were remarkably decreased in the livers stored even for 6 hr, for which the cold-preserved livers were quite viable, whereas IURs were significantly decreased in livers stored for 24 hr or more when perfusion injury was apparently developed. These results suggest that the IUR is an indicator of hepatic perfusion injury in preserved livers and that Kupffer cell blockade may be a promising strategy for the prevention of hepatic injury after cold preservation with subsequent perfusion.