Living Donor Liver Transplantation in Children With Cholestatic Liver Disease: A Single-Center Experience

Iron overload as a risk factor for hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury in liver transplantation: Potential role of ferroptosis

Hepatic ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury is a major problem in liver transplantation (LT). Although hepatocyte cell death is the initial event in hepatic I/R injury, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. In the present study, we retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 202 pediatric living donor LT and found that a high serum ferritin level, a marker of iron overload, of the donor is an independent risk factor for liver damage after LT. Since ferroptosis has been recently discovered as an iron-dependent cell death that is triggered by a loss of cellular redox homeostasis, we investigated the role of ferroptosis in a murine model of hepatic I/R injury, and found that liver damage, lipid peroxidation, and upregulation of the ferroptosis marker Ptgs2 were induced by I/R, and all of these manifestations were markedly prevented by the ferroptosis-specific inhibitor ferrostatin-1 (Fer-1) or α-tocopherol. Fer-1 also inhibited hepatic I/R-induced inflammatory responses. Furthermore, hepatic I/R injury was attenuated by iron chelation by deferoxamine and exacerbated by iron overload with a high iron diet. These findings demonstrate that iron overload is a novel risk factor for hepatic I/R injury in LT, and ferroptosis contributes to the pathogenesis of hepatic I/R injury.

Biliary reconstruction before clamp removal to avoid portal vein thrombosis in pediatric living-donor liver transplantation using hyper-reduced left lateral segment grafts: A novel technical strategy

LT has become the treatment of choice for children with end-stage liver disease. The scarcity of donors and the considerable mortality on waiting lists have propelled the related living-donor techniques, especially in small children. This population need smaller and good quality grafts and are usually candidates to receive a LLS from a related donor. Many times this grafts are still large and do not fit in the receptor's abdomen, so a further hyper-reduction may be required. Despite all advances in LT field, vascular complications still occur in a considerable proportion remaining as a significant cause of morbidity, graft loss, and mortality. Technical issues currently play an essential role in its genesis. The widely spread technique for biliary and vascular reconstruction in living donor LT (LDLT) nowadays implies removal of the portal vein (PV) clamp after the venous anastomosis, then the arterial reconstruction is done, followed by the biliary reconstruction. However, due to the posterior location of the LLS bile duct, for its reconstruction, a rotation of the liver is required risking a potential transient PV occlusion leading to thrombosis afterward. We describe a new technique that involves performing biliary reconstruction after the PV anastomosis and before removing the vascular clamp, thus allowing to freely rotate the liver with less risk of PV occlusion and thrombosis.

Quality of life after living donor liver transplant for biliary atresia in Japan

BACKGROUND

Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is an important outcome in solid organ transplantation. This study evaluated and explored the factors of generic and transplant-specific HRQOL in Japanese pediatric and adolescent patients with biliary atresia (BA) after living donor liver transplant (LDLT).

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey using anonymous questionnaires was completed between April and July 2015. Patient medical records were accessed. The Japanese version of Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory^TM Generic Core Scales and Transplant Modules (child self-report and parent proxy-report) was administered.

RESULTS

Participants consisted of 75 patients (mean age at survey, 9.6 years) and 74 parents. Japanese patients reported higher generic and transplant-specific HRQOL (total score) than that reported by US patients with BA after LT (US I; age at survey, 7.2 years) and by US patients after solid organ transplant (US II; age at survey, 11.3 years; LT, 53.8%; effect size, 0.55-0.96). Japanese parents, however, rated their children's generic HRQOL (total score) similar to that rated by the US I and II parents (0.13 and 0.30, respectively) and reported lower transplant-specific HRQOL (total score) than that reported by US II (0.26). Although the number of types of prescribed drugs was a common factor in HRQOL, most demographic and medical factors (e.g. child's age at survey and consultation frequency) varied with reporter (i.e. patients and parents).

CONCLUSIONS

The levels and factors of generic and transplant-specific HRQOL of Japanese pediatric and adolescent patients with BA after LDLT varied with reporter (i.e. patients or parents).

Serum Mac-2 binding protein glycosylation isomer predicts grade F4 liver fibrosis in patients with biliary atresia

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Mac-2 Binding Protein Glycosylation Isomer (M2BPGi) is a novel fibrosis marker. We examined the ability of M2BPGi to predict liver fibrosis in patients with biliary atresia.

METHODS

Sixty-four patients who underwent living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) were included [median age, 1.1 years (range 0.4-16.0), male 16 patients (25.0 %)]. We examined M2BPGi levels in serum obtained the day before LDLT, and we compared the value of the preoperative M2BPGi levels with the histological evaluation of fibrosis using the METAVIR fibrosis score. Subsequently, we assessed the ability of M2BPGi levels to predict fibrosis.

RESULTS

The median M2BPGi level in patients with BA was 6.02 (range, 0.36-20.0), and 0, 1, 1, 11, and 51 patients had METAVIR fibrosis scores of F0, F1, F2, F3, and F4, respectively. In patients with F4 fibrosis, the median M2BPGi level was 6.88 (quartile; 5.235, 12.10), significantly higher than that in patients with F3 fibrosis who had a median level of 2.42 (quartile; 1.93, 2.895, p < 0.01). Area under the curve analysis for the ability of M2BPGi level to predict grade fibrosis was 0.917, with a specificity and sensitivity of 0.923 and 0.941, respectively. In comparison with other fibrosis markers such as hyaluronic acid, procollagen-III-peptide, type IV collagen 7 s, and aspartate aminotransferase platelet ratio index, M2BPGi showed the strongest ability to predict grade F4 fibrosis.

CONCLUSION

M2BPGi is a novel fibrosis marker for evaluating the status of the liver in patients with BA, especially when predicting grade F4 fibrosis.

Biliary atresia: Indications and timing of liver transplantation and optimization of pretransplant care

Biliary atresia (BA) is a progressive, fibro-obliterative disorder of the intrahepatic and extrahepatic bile ducts in infancy. The majority of affected children will eventually develop end-stage liver disease and require liver transplantation (LT). Indications for LT in BA include failed Kasai portoenterostomy, significant and recalcitrant malnutrition, recurrent cholangitis, and the progressive manifestations of portal hypertension. Extrahepatic complications of this disease, such as hepatopulmonary syndrome and portopulmonary hypertension, are also indications for LT. Optimal pretransplant management of these potentially life-threatening complications and maximizing nutrition and growth require the expertise of a multidisciplinary team with experience caring for BA. The timing of transplant for BA requires careful consideration of the potential risk of transplant versus the survival benefit at any given stage of disease. Children with BA often experience long wait times for transplant unless exception points are granted to reflect severity of disease. Family preparedness for this arduous process is therefore critical. Liver Transplantation 23:96-109 2017 AASLD.

Living Related Liver Transplantation for Biliary Atresia in the Last 5 years: Experience from the First Liver Transplant Program in India

OBJECTIVE

To study the clinical, biochemical profile and outcome of patients with biliary atresia (BA) who underwent living related liver transplantation (LRLT) at authors' institute in the last 5 y (2008-2013).

METHODS

Case records of the 20 patients diagnosed with biliary atresia who had undergone living related liver transplantation at authors' centre in the last 5 y were analysed.

RESULTS

Eighteen patients with BA with a failed Kasai procedure and 2 without a prior Kasai's portoenterostomy received a liver transplant. At a median follow up of 2 y and 6 mo, both the patient and graft survival rates were 90 %. The median age of the recipients at the time of LRLT was 8 mo and 12 (60 %) of the transplanted children were less than or equal to 1 y of age. The male-female ratio was 1.8:1. The median weight was 7.3 kg (5.8-48 kg); two thirds were less than 10 kg. The median pre-transplant total serum bilirubin (TSB) and international normalized ratio (INR) were 12.98 (0.5-48.3) mg/dl and 1.3 (1.0-3.9) respectively. All patients received a living related graft and there was no donor mortality. The median duration of postoperative ventilation was 14 h. The post-operative complications were infection (30 %), vascular complications (20 %) and acute rejection (20 %). The median duration of postoperative hospital stay was 21 d (17-42). Two patients died of combined hepatic and portal vein thrombosis in the early postoperative period. Late rejection was encountered in 1 patient and another developed chronic kidney disease necessitating a renal transplant. There were no late vascular occlusions or development of post transplant lymphoproliferative disease.

CONCLUSIONS

Thus, LRLT for BA with or without a prior portoenterostomy, is a feasible and successful treatment modality with good outcomes attained despite the challenges of age and size. This treatment modality is now well established in India.

Spectrum of pathogens in native liver, bile, and blood during pediatric liver transplantation

During LTX, there may be a risk that pathogens of the native liver are released into the systemic circulation. No investigations on incidence/spectrum of pathogens in native livers have been published. We hypothesized that pathogens are found in the native liver of a large proportion of pediatric patients during LTX and investigated the microbiology of native livers. These data may help optimize antibiotic therapy. Twenty-two consecutive pediatric patients (median age 14 months, range, 5 months-15 yr) receiving LTX in our department from October 2010 to October 2011 were included in this prospective study. Tissue and bile were collected from the explanted liver and were cultivated on different media. All liver tissues were investigated using a broad-range PCR (SepsiTest(®)). In 16 patients, blood cultures were collected post-transplantation. Eleven patients (50%) had at least one pathogen detected; nine of these patients had an underlying diagnosis of biliary atresia. SepsiTest(®) was positive in seven patients. In four patients it was the only test detecting any pathogen. In detail, the positivity rate for liver tissue in all patients was 41% (n = 9); for bile 25% (n = 3); and for blood 25% (n = 4). Thirteen different pathogens (69% bacterial, 31% fungal) were isolated. A highly-sensitive broad-range PCR appears to be an effective method to detect pathogens in native livers of patients undergoing LTX. A high number and variety of microbes, including a high proportion of fungal pathogens, were detected.

Maternal grafts protect daughter recipients from acute cellular rejection after pediatric living donor liver transplantation for biliary atresia

Some studies have found that gender mismatch between donors and recipients are related to poor graft prognosis after liver transplantation. However, few studies have investigated the impact of gender mismatch on acute cellular rejection (ACR) in pediatric living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). This retrospective study investigated the clinical significance of these factors in ACR after pediatric LDLT. Between November 2001 and February 2012, 114 LDLTs were performed for recipients with biliary atresia (BA) using parental grafts. We performed univariate and multivariate analyses to identify the factors associated with ACR. The donor-recipient classifications included mother donor to daughter recipient (MD; n = 43), mother to son (n = 18), father to daughter (FD; n = 33), and father to son (n = 20) groups. The overall incidence rate of ACR in the recipients was 36.8%. Multivariate analysis showed that gender mismatch alone was an independent risk factor for ACR (P = 0.012). The FD group had a higher incidence of ACR than the MD group (P = 0.002). In LDLT, paternal grafts with gender mismatch were associated with a higher increased incidence of ACR than maternal grafts with gender match. Our findings support the possibility that maternal antigens may have an important clinical impact on graft tolerance in LDLT for patients with BA.

Transplantable liver production plan: "Yamaton"--liver project, Japan

Organ grafts developed in the xenogeneic pig scaffold are expected to resolve most issues of donor safety and ethical concerns about living-donor liver transplantation in Japan. We have been working on so-called "Yamaton" projects to develop transplantable organs using genetically engineered pigs. Our goal is to produce chimeric livers with human parenchyma in such pigs. The Yamaton-Liver project demonstrated the proof of concept by showing that rat-mouse chimeric livers could develop in mice and be successfully transplanted into syngeneic or allogeneic rats. Under conventional immunosuppression, the transplanted livers showed long-term function and protection against rejection. Because chimeric liver grafts have xenogeneic components, additional strategies, such as humanization of pig genes, induction of hematopoietic chimeras in donors, and replacement of pig endothelial cells with human ones, might be required in clinical use. Our projects still need to overcome various hurdles but can bring huge benefits to patients in the future.