I reperfusion injury after pig liver transplantation

Reperfusion injury is a serious problem after clinical liver transplantation, often leading to dys- or even non-function of grafts. The present study was designed to determine whether the hydrophilic bile salt tauroursodeoxycholate (TUDC), known to be hepatopro- tective in cholestatic liver disease, mitigates reperfusion injury in an in vivo pig liver transplantation model. Liver transplantation was perform- ed in 12 pigs after a preservation time of 8 h. TUDC was adminis- tered to donor and recipient ani- mals, and saline to controls. Blood was drawn at different time points for determination of liver enzymes. Bile samples were collected, and bile flow (BF), and bile salt secre- tion rate (BSSR) determined. Sam- ples of liver tissue and bile ducts were taken for assessment by light and electron microscopy. Liver en- zymes were significantly lower in the TUDC group. BF and BSSR were significantly higher. Microsco- py revealed better preservation of bile duct architecture of the TUDC- infused animals. We can conclude that infusions of TUDC in pig livers ameliorate reperfusion injury in vivo. The molecular basis for this finding may be the membrane stabi- lizing effect of TUDC. Further studies are warranted to clarify its effect.