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Amiodarone pretreatment of organ donors exerts anti‐oxidative protection but induces excretory dysfunction in liver preservation and reperfusion
Author(s) -
Moussavian Mohammed Reza,
Kollmar Otto,
Schmidt Michael,
Scheuer Claudia,
Wagner Matthias,
Slotta Jan Erik,
Gronow Gernot,
Justinger Christoph,
Menger Michael Dieter,
Schilling Martin Karl
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
liver transplantation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.814
H-Index - 150
eISSN - 1527-6473
pISSN - 1527-6465
DOI - 10.1002/lt.21757
Subject(s) - medicine , reperfusion injury , oxidative stress , cold storage , lipid peroxidation , malondialdehyde , pharmacology , viaspan , oxidative phosphorylation , transplantation , liver transplantation , ischemia , endocrinology , biochemistry , chemistry , biology , horticulture
The continuous shortage of organs necessitates the use of marginal organs from donors with various diseases, including arrhythmia‐associated cardiac failure. One of the most frequently used anti‐arrhythmic drugs is amiodarone (AM), which is given in particular in emergency situations. Apart from its anti‐arrhythmic actions, AM provides anti‐oxidative properties in cardiomyocytes. Thus, we were interested in whether AM donor pretreatment affects the organ quality and function of livers procured for preservation and transplantation. Donor rats were pretreated with AM (5 mg/kg of body weight) 10 minutes before flush‐out of the liver with a cold (4°C) histidine‐tryptophan‐ketoglutarate solution (n = 8). Livers were then stored for 24 hours at 4°C before ex situ reperfusion with a 37°C Krebs‐Henseleit solution for 60 minutes in a nonrecirculating system. At the end of reperfusion, tissue samples were taken for histology and Western blot analysis. Animals with vehicle only (0.9% NaCl) served as ischemia/reperfusion controls (n = 8). Additionally, livers of untreated animals (n = 8) not subjected to 24 hours of cold ischemia served as sham controls. AM pretreatment effectively attenuated lipid peroxidation, stress protein expression, and apoptotic cell death. This was indicated by an AM‐mediated reduction of malondialdehyde, heme oxygenase‐1, and caspase‐3 activation. However, AM treatment also induced mitochondrial damage and hepatocellular excretory dysfunction, as indicated by a significantly increased glutamate dehydrogenase concentration in the effluate and decreased bile production. In conclusion, AM donor pretreatment exerts anti‐oxidative actions in liver preservation and reperfusion. However, these protective AM actions are counteracted by an induction of mitochondrial damage and hepatocellular dysfunction. Accordingly, AM pretreatment of donors for anti‐arrhythmic therapy should be performed with caution. Liver Transpl 15:763–775, 2009. © 2009 AASLD.