Effect of Oxygenated Perfluorocarbon on Isolated Islets During Transportation

Background Previous studies demonstrated the efficacy of the two-layer method (TLM) using oxygenated perfluorochemicals (PFC) for pancreas preservation. The current study investigated the effect of oxygenated PFC on isolated islets during transportation. Materials and Methods Purified rat islets were stored in an airtight conical tube for 24h in RPMI culture medium at 22°C or University of Wisconsin solution (UW) at 4°C, either with or without oxygenated PFC. After storage, the islets were assessed for in vitro viability by static incubation (SI), FDA/PI staining, and energy status (ATP, energy charge, and ADP/ATP ratio) and for in vivo viability by a transplantation study. Results UW at 4°C and RPMI medium at 22°C maintained islet quality almost equally in both in vitro and in vivo assessments. The ATP levels and energy status in the groups with PFC were significantly lower than those without PFC. The groups with PFC showed a significantly higher ADP/ATP ratio than those without PFC. In the transplantation study, blood glucose levels and AUC in the UW + PFC group were significantly higher than those in UW group. Conclusions UW at 4°C and RPMI medium at 22°C maintained islet quality equally under the conditions for islet transportation. The addition of oxygenated PFC, while advantageous for pancreas preservation, is not useful for islet transportation.