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Hofmann J, Meszaros AT, Butler A, Hann A, Hartog H, Kneifel F, Iype S, Crick K, Cardini B, Fiore B, Attia M, Pollok JM, Pascher A, Vogel T, Perera T, Watson CJE, Schneeberger S. Predictive value of early postoperative lactate (<6 h) during normothermic machine perfusion and outcome after liver transplantation: results from a multicentre study. Br J Surg 2024; 111:znae084. [PMID: 38875136 PMCID: PMC11177788 DOI: 10.1093/bjs/znae084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2023] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Biomarkers with strong predictive capacity towards transplantation outcome for livers undergoing normothermic machine perfusion (NMP) are needed. We investigated lactate clearing capacity as a basic function of liver viability during the first 6 h of NMP. METHODS A trial conducted in 6 high-volume transplant centres in Europe. All centres applied a back-to-base NMP approach with the OrganOx metra system. Perfusate lactate levels at start, 1, 2, 4 and 6 h of NMP were assessed individually and as area under the curve (AUC) and correlated with EAD (early allograft dysfunction), MEAF (model for early allograft function) and modified L-GrAFT (liver graft assessment following transplantation) scores. RESULTS A total of 509 livers underwent ≥6 h of NMP before transplantation in 6 centres in the UK, Germany and Austria. The donor age was 53 (40-63) years (median, i.q.r.).The total NMP time was 10.8 (7.9-15.7) h. EAD occurred in 26%, MEAF was 4.72 (3.54-6.05) and L-GrAFT10 -0.96 (-1.52--0.32). Lactate at 1, 2 and 6 h correlated with increasing robustness with MEAF. Rather than a binary assessment with a cut-off value at 2 h, the actual 2 h lactate level correlated with the MEAF (P = 0.0306 versus P = 0.0002, Pearson r = 0.01087 versus r = 0.1734). The absolute lactate concentration at 6 h, the AUC of 0-6 h and 1-6 h (P < 0.0001, r = 0.3176) were the strongest predictors of MEAF. CONCLUSION Lactate measured 1-6 h and lactate levels at 6 h correlate strongly with risk of liver allograft dysfunction upon transplantation. The robustness of predicting MEAF by lactate increases with perfusion duration. Monitoring lactate levels should be extended to at least 6 h of NMP routinely to improve clinical outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Hofmann
- Department of Visceral, Transplant and Thoracic Surgery, Medical University
of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Andras T Meszaros
- Department of Visceral, Transplant and Thoracic Surgery, Medical University
of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Andrew Butler
- Department of Surgery, University of Cambridge,
Cambridge, UK
| | - Angus Hann
- Liver Unit, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS
Foundation Trust (UHBFT), Birmingham, UK
| | - Hermien Hartog
- Liver Unit, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS
Foundation Trust (UHBFT), Birmingham, UK
| | - Felicia Kneifel
- Department of General, Visceral and Transplant Surgery, University Hospital
of Münster (UKM), Münster, Germany
| | - Satheesh Iype
- Department of HPB and Liver Transplantation, The Royal Free
Hospital, Hampstead, London, UK
| | - Keziah Crick
- Department of HPB and Liver Transplantation, The Royal Free
Hospital, Hampstead, London, UK
| | - Benno Cardini
- Department of Visceral, Transplant and Thoracic Surgery, Medical University
of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Barbara Fiore
- Liver Transplant Unit, Leeds Teaching Hospitals, NHS Foundation
Trust, Leeds, UK
| | - Magdy Attia
- Liver Transplant Unit, Leeds Teaching Hospitals, NHS Foundation
Trust, Leeds, UK
| | - Joerg-Matthias Pollok
- Department of HPB and Liver Transplantation, The Royal Free
Hospital, Hampstead, London, UK
- Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, University College
London, London, UK
| | - Andreas Pascher
- Department of General, Visceral and Transplant Surgery, University Hospital
of Münster (UKM), Münster, Germany
| | - Thomas Vogel
- Department of General, Visceral and Transplant Surgery, University Hospital
of Münster (UKM), Münster, Germany
| | - Thamara Perera
- Liver Unit, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS
Foundation Trust (UHBFT), Birmingham, UK
| | | | - Stefan Schneeberger
- Department of Visceral, Transplant and Thoracic Surgery, Medical University
of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
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McLean ST, Holkup S, Tchir A, Mojoudi M, Hassan M, Taveras C, Ozge SO, James FM, Yeh H, Uygun K, Longchamp A. UW Supplementation with AP39 Improves Liver Viability Following Static Cold Storage. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-4487319. [PMID: 38947096 PMCID: PMC11213193 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4487319/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
Static cold storage of donor livers at 4°C incompletely arrests metabolism, ultimately leading to decreases in ATP levels, oxidative stress, cell death, and organ failure. Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S) is an endogenously produced gas, previously demonstrated to reduce oxidative stress, reduce ATP depletion, and protect from ischemia and reperfusion injury. H2S is difficult to administer due to its rapid release curve, resulting in cellular death at high concentrations. AP39, a mitochondrially targeted, slow-release H2S donor, has been shown to reduce ischemia-reperfusion injury in hearts and kidneys. Thus, we investigated whether the addition of AP39 during 3-day static cold storage can improve liver graft viability. At the end of storage, livers underwent six hours of acellular normothermic machine perfusion, a model of transplantation. During simulated transplantation, livers stored with AP39 showed reduced resistance, reduced cellular damage (ALT and AST), and reduced apoptosis. Additionally, bile production and glucose, as well as energy charge were improved by the addition of AP39. These results indicate that AP39 supplementation improves liver viability during static cold storage.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Saige Holkup
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School
| | | | | | | | | | - S Ozgur Ozge
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School
| | | | - Heidi Yeh
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School
| | - Korkut Uygun
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School
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Cywes C, Banker A, Muñoz N, Levine M, Abu-Gazala S, Bittermann T, Abt P. The Potential Utilization of Machine Perfusion to Increase Transplantation of Macrosteatotic Livers. Transplantation 2024:00007890-990000000-00774. [PMID: 38773856 DOI: 10.1097/tp.0000000000005057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The demand for liver transplantation has led to the utilization of marginal grafts including moderately macrosteatotic livers (macrosteatosis ≥30% [Mas30]), which are associated with an elevated risk of graft failure. Machine perfusion (MP) has emerged as a technique for organ preservation and viability testing; however, little is known about MP in Mas30 livers. This study evaluates the utilization and outcomes of Mas30 livers in the era of MP. METHODS The Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network database was queried to identify biopsy-proven Mas30 deceased donor liver grafts between June 1, 2016, and June 23, 2023. Univariable and multivariable models were constructed to study the association between MP and graft utilization and survival. RESULTS The final cohort with 3317 Mas30 livers was identified, of which 72 underwent MP and were compared with 3245 non-MP livers. Among Mas30 livers, 62 (MP) and 1832 (non-MP) were transplanted (utilization of 86.1% versus 56.4%, P < 0.001). Donor and recipient characteristics were comparable between MP and non-MP groups. In adjusted analyses, MP was associated with significantly increased Mas30 graft utilization (odds ratio, 7.89; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.76-16.58; P < 0.001). In log-rank tests, MP was not associated with 1- and 3-y graft failure (hazard ratio, 0.49; 95% CI, 0.12-1.99; P = 0.319 and hazard ratio 0.43; 95% CI, 0.11-1.73; P = 0.235, respectively). CONCLUSIONS The utilization rate of Mas30 grafts increases with MP without detriment to graft survival. This early experience may have implications for increasing the available donor pool of Mas30 livers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Cywes
- Department of Surgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Amay Banker
- Department of Surgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Nicolas Muñoz
- Department of Surgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Matthew Levine
- Department of Surgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Samir Abu-Gazala
- Department of Surgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Therese Bittermann
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Peter Abt
- Department of Surgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
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Stryjak I, Warmuzińska N, Łuczykowski K, Jaroch K, Urbanellis P, Selzner M, Bojko B. Metabolomic and lipidomic landscape of porcine kidney associated with kidney perfusion in heart beating donors and donors after cardiac death. Transl Res 2024; 267:79-90. [PMID: 38052298 DOI: 10.1016/j.trsl.2023.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Revised: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023]
Abstract
Transplant centers are currently facing a lack of tools to ensure adequate evaluation of the quality of the available organs, as well as a significant shortage of kidney donors. Therefore, efforts are being made to facilitate the effective use of available organs and expand the donor pool, particularly with expanded criteria donors. Fulfilling a need, we aim to present an innovative analytical method based on solid-phase microextraction (SPME) - chemical biopsy. In order to track changes affecting the organ throughout the entire transplant procedure, porcine kidneys were subjected to multiple samplings at various time points. The application of small-diameter SPME probes assured the minimal invasiveness of the procedure. Porcine model kidney autotransplantation was executed for the purpose of simulating two types of donor scenarios: donors with a beating heart (HBD) and donors after cardiac death (DCD). All renal grafts were exposed to continuous normothermic ex vivo perfusion. Following metabolomic and lipidomic profiling using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to a mass spectrometer, we observed differences in the profiles of HBD and DCD kidneys. The alterations were predominantly related to energy and glucose metabolism, and differences in the levels of essential amino acids, purine nucleosides, lysophosphocholines, phosphoethanolamines, and triacylglycerols were noticed. Our results indicate the potential of implementing chemical biopsy in the evaluation of graft quality and monitoring of renal function during perfusion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iga Stryjak
- Department of Pharmacodynamics and Molecular Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Bydgoszcz, Poland
| | - Natalia Warmuzińska
- Department of Pharmacodynamics and Molecular Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Bydgoszcz, Poland
| | - Kamil Łuczykowski
- Department of Pharmacodynamics and Molecular Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Bydgoszcz, Poland
| | - Karol Jaroch
- Department of Pharmacodynamics and Molecular Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Bydgoszcz, Poland
| | - Peter Urbanellis
- Ajmera Transplant Center, Department of Surgery, Toronto General Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Markus Selzner
- Ajmera Transplant Center, Department of Surgery, Toronto General Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Medicine, Toronto General Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Barbara Bojko
- Department of Pharmacodynamics and Molecular Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Bydgoszcz, Poland.
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Hautbergue T, Laverdure F, Van SD, Vallee A, Sanchis-Borja M, Decante B, Gaillard M, Junot C, Fenaille F, Mercier O, Colsch B, Guihaire J. Metabolomic profiling of cardiac allografts after controlled circulatory death. J Heart Lung Transplant 2023; 42:870-879. [PMID: 36931989 DOI: 10.1016/j.healun.2023.02.1492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Assessment of myocardial viability during ex situ heart perfusion (ESHP) is based on the measurement of lactate concentrations. As this provides with limited information, we sought to investigate the metabolic signature associated with donation after circulatory death (DCD) and the impact of ESHP on the myocardial metabolome. METHODS Porcine hearts were retrieved either after warm ischemia (DCD group, N = 6); after brain-stem death (BSD group, N = 6); or without DCD nor BSD (Control group, N = 6). Hearts were perfused using normothermic oxygenated blood for 240 minutes. Plasma and myocardial samples were collected respectively every 30 and 60 minutes, and analyzed by an untargeted metabolomic approach using liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry. RESULTS Median duration of warm ischemia was 23 minutes [19-29] in DCD animals. Lactate level within myocardial biopsies was not significantly different between groups at T0 (p = 0.281), and remained stable over the 4-hour period of ESHP. More than 300 metabolites were detected in plasma and heart biopsy samples. Compared to BSD animals, metabolomics changes involving energy and nucleotide metabolisms were observed in plasma samples of DCD animals before initiation of ESHP, whereas 2 metabolites (inosine monophosphate and methylbutyrate) exhibited concentration changes in biopsy samples. Normalization of DCD metabolic profile was remarkable after 4 hours of ESHP. CONCLUSION A specific metabolic profile was observed in DCD hearts, mainly characterized by an increased nucleotide catabolism. DCD and BSD metabolomes proved normalized during ESHP. Complementary investigations are needed to correlate these findings to cardiac performances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thaïs Hautbergue
- Département Médicaments et Technologies pour la Santé (DMTS), MetaboHUB, Paris-Saclay University, CEA, INRAE, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Florent Laverdure
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Hôpital Marie Lannelongue, Groupe Hospitalier Paris Saint Joseph, Paris-Saclay University, Pulmonary Hypertension National Referral Center, Le Plessis Robinson, France; Preclinical Research Laboratory, Paris-Saclay University, Hôpital Marie Lannelongue, Groupe Hospitalier Paris Saint Joseph, Pulmonary Hypertension National Referral Center, Le Plessis Robinson, France
| | - Simon Dang Van
- Preclinical Research Laboratory, Paris-Saclay University, Hôpital Marie Lannelongue, Groupe Hospitalier Paris Saint Joseph, Pulmonary Hypertension National Referral Center, Le Plessis Robinson, France
| | - Aurelien Vallee
- Preclinical Research Laboratory, Paris-Saclay University, Hôpital Marie Lannelongue, Groupe Hospitalier Paris Saint Joseph, Pulmonary Hypertension National Referral Center, Le Plessis Robinson, France; Department of Cardiac Surgery, Paris-Saclay University, Hôpital Marie Lannelongue, Groupe Hospitalier Paris Saint Joseph, Pulmonary Hypertension National Referral Center, Le Plessis Robinson, France
| | - Mateo Sanchis-Borja
- Preclinical Research Laboratory, Paris-Saclay University, Hôpital Marie Lannelongue, Groupe Hospitalier Paris Saint Joseph, Pulmonary Hypertension National Referral Center, Le Plessis Robinson, France
| | - Benoît Decante
- Preclinical Research Laboratory, Paris-Saclay University, Hôpital Marie Lannelongue, Groupe Hospitalier Paris Saint Joseph, Pulmonary Hypertension National Referral Center, Le Plessis Robinson, France
| | - Maïra Gaillard
- Preclinical Research Laboratory, Paris-Saclay University, Hôpital Marie Lannelongue, Groupe Hospitalier Paris Saint Joseph, Pulmonary Hypertension National Referral Center, Le Plessis Robinson, France; Department of Cardiac Surgery, Paris-Saclay University, Hôpital Marie Lannelongue, Groupe Hospitalier Paris Saint Joseph, Pulmonary Hypertension National Referral Center, Le Plessis Robinson, France
| | - Christophe Junot
- Département Médicaments et Technologies pour la Santé (DMTS), MetaboHUB, Paris-Saclay University, CEA, INRAE, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - François Fenaille
- Département Médicaments et Technologies pour la Santé (DMTS), MetaboHUB, Paris-Saclay University, CEA, INRAE, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Olaf Mercier
- Preclinical Research Laboratory, Paris-Saclay University, Hôpital Marie Lannelongue, Groupe Hospitalier Paris Saint Joseph, Pulmonary Hypertension National Referral Center, Le Plessis Robinson, France; Department of Thoracic and Vascular Surgery and Heart-Lung Transplantation, Paris-Saclay University, Hôpital Marie Lannelongue, Groupe Hospitalier Paris Saint Joseph, Pulmonary Hypertension National Referral Center, Le Plessis Robinson, France; INSERM UMR_S 999 Pulmonary Hypertension: Pathophysiology and Novel Therapies, Paris-Saclay University, Hôpital Marie Lannelongue, Le Plessis-Robinson, France; Paris-Saclay University School of Medicine, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France
| | - Benoit Colsch
- Département Médicaments et Technologies pour la Santé (DMTS), MetaboHUB, Paris-Saclay University, CEA, INRAE, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Julien Guihaire
- Preclinical Research Laboratory, Paris-Saclay University, Hôpital Marie Lannelongue, Groupe Hospitalier Paris Saint Joseph, Pulmonary Hypertension National Referral Center, Le Plessis Robinson, France; Department of Cardiac Surgery, Paris-Saclay University, Hôpital Marie Lannelongue, Groupe Hospitalier Paris Saint Joseph, Pulmonary Hypertension National Referral Center, Le Plessis Robinson, France; Department of Thoracic and Vascular Surgery and Heart-Lung Transplantation, Paris-Saclay University, Hôpital Marie Lannelongue, Groupe Hospitalier Paris Saint Joseph, Pulmonary Hypertension National Referral Center, Le Plessis Robinson, France.
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Rauchfuß F, Tautenhahn HM, Dondorf F, Ali-Deeb A, Settmacher U. Critical Evaluation of Discarded Donor Livers in the Eurotransplant Region: Potential Implications for Machine Perfusion. Ann Transplant 2023; 28:e938132. [PMID: 36927714 PMCID: PMC10029319 DOI: 10.12659/aot.938132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND There are still many offered donor livers that are declined during the allocation process. Machine perfusion offers the option to evaluate (especially marginal) donor organs and to better decide whether a graft has the potential of being transplanted or not. There is a lack of clear detailed data on why organs are declined and how many donor livers would have the potential of being evaluated in the machine. MATERIAL AND METHODS We retrospectively reviewed 1356 donor livers between 2016 and 2018, which were offered by Eurotransplant and were declined during the allocation process; 284 grafts were from donor after cardiac death (DCD) and 1072 donations were from after brain death (DBD). The analysis was performed independently and blinded by senior transplant surgeons. RESULTS There were 904 (66.6%) donor livers with potential to be evaluated as suitable grafts in machine perfusion, whereas 417 (30.8%) organs were definitely not-transplantable, mainly due to liver cirrhosis, (untreated) donor malignancy, cardiac diseases of the donor leading to a hepatic congestion, and/or systemic infections in the donor. Donors in blood group "AB" were disproportionally often rejected. Due to missing data, 35 (2.6%) organs could not be sufficiently evaluated. CONCLUSIONS Our data suggest that many declined donor livers have potential of being evaluated by machine perfusion. Comprehensive use of machine perfusion is necessary and useful to improve the current organ shortage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Falk Rauchfuß
- Department of General, Visceral and Vascular Surgery, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | - Hans-Michael Tautenhahn
- Department of General, Visceral and Vascular Surgery, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
- Research Program "Else Kröner-Forschungskolleg AntiAge", Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | - Felix Dondorf
- Department of General, Visceral and Vascular Surgery, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | - Aladdin Ali-Deeb
- Department of General, Visceral and Vascular Surgery, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | - Utz Settmacher
- Department of General, Visceral and Vascular Surgery, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
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Baciu C, Shin J, Hsin M, Cypel M, Keshavjee S, Liu M. Altered purine metabolism at reperfusion affects clinical outcome in lung transplantation. Thorax 2023; 78:249-257. [PMID: 35450941 DOI: 10.1136/thoraxjnl-2021-217498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Lung transplantation is an established treatment for patients with end-stage lung disease. However, ischaemia reperfusion injury remains a barrier to achieving better survival outcomes. Here, we aim to investigate the metabolomic and transcriptomic profiles in human lungs before and after reperfusion, to identify mechanisms relevant to clinical outcome. METHODS We analysed 67 paired human lung tissue samples collected from 2008 to 2011, at the end of cold preservation and 2 hours after reperfusion. Gene expression analysis was performed with R. Pathway analysis was conducted with Ingenuity Pathway Analysis. MetaboAnalyst and OmicsNet were used for metabolomics analysis and omics data integration, respectively. Association of identified metabolites with transplant outcome was investigated with Kaplan-Meier estimate and Cox proportional hazard models. RESULTS Activation of energy metabolism and reduced antioxidative biochemicals were found by metabolomics. Upregulation of genes related to cytokines and inflammatory mediators, together with major signalling pathways were revealed by transcriptomics. Purine metabolism was identified as the most significantly enriched pathway at reperfusion, based on integrative analysis of the two omics data sets. Elevated expression of purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP) could be attributed to activation of multiple transcriptional pathways. PNP catabolised reactions were evidenced by changes in related metabolites, especially decreased levels of inosine and increased levels of uric acid. Multivariable analyses showed significant association of inosine and uric acid levels with intensive care unit length of stay and ventilation time. CONCLUSION Oxidative stress, especially through purine metabolism pathway, is a major metabolic event during reperfusion and may contribute to the ischaemia reperfusion injury of lung grafts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Baciu
- Latner Thoracic Surgical Laboratory, Toronto General Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jason Shin
- Latner Thoracic Surgical Laboratory, Toronto General Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Michael Hsin
- Latner Thoracic Surgical Laboratory, Toronto General Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Marcelo Cypel
- Latner Thoracic Surgical Laboratory, Toronto General Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Surgery, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Institute of Medical Science, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Shaf Keshavjee
- Latner Thoracic Surgical Laboratory, Toronto General Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Surgery, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Institute of Medical Science, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mingyao Liu
- Latner Thoracic Surgical Laboratory, Toronto General Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada .,Institute of Medical Science, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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8
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Metabolomics Differences of the Donor Livers Between In Situ and Ex Situ Conditions During Ischemia-free Liver Transplantation. Transplantation 2023; 107:e139-e151. [PMID: 36857152 PMCID: PMC10125122 DOI: 10.1097/tp.0000000000004529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ischemia-free liver transplantation (IFLT) has been innovated to avoid graft ischemia during organ procurement, preservation, and implantation. However, the metabolism activity of the donor livers between in the in situ and ex situ normothermic machine perfusion (NMP) conditions, and between standard criteria donor and extend criteria donor remains unknown. METHODS During IFLT, plasma samples were collected both at the portal vein and hepatic vein of the donor livers in situ during procurement and ex situ during NMP. An ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry was conducted to investigate the common and distinct intraliver metabolite exchange. RESULTS Profound cysteine and methionine metabolism, and aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis were found in both in situ and ex situ conditions. However, obvious D-arginine and D-ornithine metabolism, arginine and proline metabolism were only found in the in situ condition. The suppressed activities of the urea cycle pathway during ex situ condition were confirmed in an RNA expression level. In addition, compared with extend criteria donor group, standard criteria donor group had more active intraliver metabolite exchange in metabonomics level. Furthermore, we found that the relative concentration of p-cresol, allocystathionine, L-prolyl-L-proline in the ex situ group was strongly correlated with peak alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase at postoperative days 1-7. CONCLUSIONS In the current study, we show the common and distinct metabolism activities during IFLT. These findings might provide insights on how to modify the design of NMP device, improve the perfusate components, and redefine the criteria of graft viability.
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Cesaretti M, Moccia S. Letter to the Editor: The concept of Hepatic Steatosis assessment in Liver Donors. JOURNAL OF LIVER TRANSPLANTATION 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.liver.2022.100104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
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10
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Tran DT, Sundararaj K, Atkinson C, Nadig SN. T-cell Immunometabolism: Therapeutic Implications in Organ Transplantation. Transplantation 2021; 105:e191-e201. [PMID: 33795597 PMCID: PMC8464628 DOI: 10.1097/tp.0000000000003767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Although solid-organ transplantation has evolved steadily with many breakthroughs in the past 110 y, many problems remain to be addressed, and advanced therapeutic strategies need to be considered. T-cell immunometabolism is a rapidly advancing field that has gathered much attention recently, providing ample mechanistic insight from which many novel therapeutic approaches have been developed. Applications from the field include antitumor and antimicrobial therapies, as well as for reversing graft-versus-host disease and autoimmune diseases. However, the immunometabolism of T cells remains underexplored in solid-organ transplantation. In this review, we will highlight key findings from hallmark studies centered around various metabolic modes preferred by different T-cell subtypes (categorized into naive, effector, regulatory, and memory T cells), including glycolysis, glutaminolysis, oxidative phosphorylation, fatty acid synthesis, and oxidation. This review will discuss the underlying cellular signaling components that affect these processes, including the transcription factors myelocytomatosis oncogene, hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha, estrogen-related receptor alpha, and sterol regulatory element-binding proteins, along with the mechanistic target of rapamycin and adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase signaling. We will also explore potential therapeutic strategies targeting these pathways, as applied to the potential for tolerance induction in solid-organ transplantation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danh T. Tran
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
- Department of Surgery, Division of Transplant Surgery, Lee Patterson Allen Transplant Immunobiology Laboratory, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
| | - Kamala Sundararaj
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
- Department of Surgery, Division of Transplant Surgery, Lee Patterson Allen Transplant Immunobiology Laboratory, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
- South Carolina Investigators in Transplantation, Department of Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
| | - Carl Atkinson
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
- Department of Surgery, Division of Transplant Surgery, Lee Patterson Allen Transplant Immunobiology Laboratory, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
- South Carolina Investigators in Transplantation, Department of Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
| | - Satish N. Nadig
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
- Department of Surgery, Division of Transplant Surgery, Lee Patterson Allen Transplant Immunobiology Laboratory, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
- South Carolina Investigators in Transplantation, Department of Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
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Tien C, Remulla D, Kwon Y, Emamaullee J. Contemporary strategies to assess and manage liver donor steatosis: a review. Curr Opin Organ Transplant 2021; 26:474-481. [PMID: 34524179 PMCID: PMC8447219 DOI: 10.1097/mot.0000000000000893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Due to a persistent shortage of donor livers, attention has turned toward ways of utilizing marginal grafts, particularly those with steatosis, without incurring inferior outcomes. Here we review the evaluation and utilization of steatotic liver allografts, highlight recently published data, and discuss novel methods of graft rehabilitation. RECENT FINDINGS Although severe liver allograft (>60%) steatosis has been associated with inferior graft and recipient outcomes, mild (<30%) steatosis has not. There is ongoing debate regarding safe utilization of grafts with moderate (30-60%) steatosis. Presently, no established protocols for evaluating steatosis in donor candidates or utilizing such grafts exist. Liver biopsy is accepted as the gold standard technique, though noninvasive methods have shown promise in accurately predicting steatosis. More recently, machine perfusion has been shown to enhance ex situ liver function and reduce steatosis, emerging as a potential means of optimizing steatotic grafts prior to transplantation. SUMMARY Steatotic liver allografts constitute a large proportion of deceased donor organs. Further work is necessary to define safe upper limits for the acceptable degree of steatosis, develop standardized evaluation protocols, and establish utilization guidelines that prioritize safety. Machine perfusion has shown promise in rehabilitating steatotic grafts and offers the possibility of expanding the deceased donor pool.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Tien
- Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Daphne Remulla
- Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Yong Kwon
- Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
- Department of Surgery, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Juliet Emamaullee
- Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
- Department of Surgery, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
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Raigani S, Yeh H. Taking the Temperature on Machine Perfusion. CURRENT TRANSPLANTATION REPORTS 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s40472-021-00337-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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14
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Goumard C, Turco C, Sakka M, Aoudjehane L, Lesnik P, Savier E, Conti F, Scatton O. Ex-Vivo Pharmacological Defatting of the Liver: A Review. J Clin Med 2021; 10:jcm10061253. [PMID: 33803539 PMCID: PMC8002874 DOI: 10.3390/jcm10061253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Revised: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The ongoing organ shortage has forced transplant teams to develop alternate sources of liver grafts. In this setting, ex-situ machine perfusion has rapidly developed as a promising tool to assess viability and improve the function of organs from extended criteria donors, including fatty liver grafts. In particular, normothermic machine perfusion represents a powerful tool to test a liver in full 37 °C metabolism and add pharmacological corrections whenever needed. In this context, many pharmacological agents and therapeutics have been tested to induce liver defatting on normothermic machine perfusion with promising results even on human organs. This systematic review makes a comprehensive synthesis on existing pharmacological therapies for liver defatting, with special focus on normothermic liver machine perfusion as an experimental ex-vivo translational model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Goumard
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Liver Transplantation, Sorbonne Université, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Assistance Publique-Hopitaux de Paris, 75013 Paris, France; (C.T.); (E.S.); (O.S.)
- Sorbonne Université, Centre de Recherche Saint Antoine, INSERM UMRS-938, Institute of Cardiometabolism and Nutrition (ICAN), 75013 Paris, France; (L.A.); (F.C.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Célia Turco
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Liver Transplantation, Sorbonne Université, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Assistance Publique-Hopitaux de Paris, 75013 Paris, France; (C.T.); (E.S.); (O.S.)
- Sorbonne Université, Centre de Recherche Saint Antoine, INSERM UMRS-938, Institute of Cardiometabolism and Nutrition (ICAN), 75013 Paris, France; (L.A.); (F.C.)
| | - Mehdi Sakka
- Department of Metabolic Biochemistry, Sorbonne Université, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Assistance Publique- Hopitaux de Paris, 75013 Paris, France;
| | - Lynda Aoudjehane
- Sorbonne Université, Centre de Recherche Saint Antoine, INSERM UMRS-938, Institute of Cardiometabolism and Nutrition (ICAN), 75013 Paris, France; (L.A.); (F.C.)
| | - Philippe Lesnik
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM UMRS-1166, Institute of Cardiometabolism and Nutrition (ICAN), 75013 Paris, France;
| | - Eric Savier
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Liver Transplantation, Sorbonne Université, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Assistance Publique-Hopitaux de Paris, 75013 Paris, France; (C.T.); (E.S.); (O.S.)
- Sorbonne Université, Centre de Recherche Saint Antoine, INSERM UMRS-938, Institute of Cardiometabolism and Nutrition (ICAN), 75013 Paris, France; (L.A.); (F.C.)
| | - Filomena Conti
- Sorbonne Université, Centre de Recherche Saint Antoine, INSERM UMRS-938, Institute of Cardiometabolism and Nutrition (ICAN), 75013 Paris, France; (L.A.); (F.C.)
| | - Olivier Scatton
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Liver Transplantation, Sorbonne Université, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Assistance Publique-Hopitaux de Paris, 75013 Paris, France; (C.T.); (E.S.); (O.S.)
- Sorbonne Université, Centre de Recherche Saint Antoine, INSERM UMRS-938, Institute of Cardiometabolism and Nutrition (ICAN), 75013 Paris, France; (L.A.); (F.C.)
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15
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Michelotto J, Gassner JMGV, Moosburner S, Muth V, Patel MS, Selzner M, Pratschke J, Sauer IM, Raschzok N. Ex vivo machine perfusion: current applications and future directions in liver transplantation. Langenbecks Arch Surg 2021; 406:39-54. [PMID: 33216216 PMCID: PMC7870621 DOI: 10.1007/s00423-020-02014-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Accepted: 07/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Liver transplantation is the only curative treatment option for end-stage liver disease; however, its use remains limited due to a shortage of suitable organs. In recent years, ex vivo liver machine perfusion has been introduced to liver transplantation, as a means to expand the donor organ pool. PURPOSE To present a systematic review of prospective clinical studies on ex vivo liver machine perfusion, in order to assess current applications and highlight future directions. METHODS A systematic literature search of both PubMed and ISI web of science databases as well as the ClinicalTrials.gov registry was performed. RESULTS Twenty-one articles on prospective clinical trials on ex vivo liver machine perfusion were identified. Out of these, eight reported on hypothermic, eleven on normothermic, and two on sequential perfusion. These trials have demonstrated the safety and feasibility of ex vivo liver machine perfusion in both standard and expanded criteria donors. Currently, there are twelve studies enrolled in the clinicaltrials.gov registry, and these focus on use of ex vivo perfusion in extended criteria donors and declined organs. CONCLUSION Ex vivo liver machine perfusion seems to be a suitable strategy to expand the donor pool for liver transplantation and holds promise as a platform for reconditioning diseased organs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian Michelotto
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Department of Surgery, Experimental Surgery, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt- Universität zu Berlin and Berlin Institute of Health, Campus Charité Mitte | Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Berlin, Germany
| | - Joseph M G V Gassner
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Department of Surgery, Experimental Surgery, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt- Universität zu Berlin and Berlin Institute of Health, Campus Charité Mitte | Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Berlin, Germany
| | - Simon Moosburner
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Department of Surgery, Experimental Surgery, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt- Universität zu Berlin and Berlin Institute of Health, Campus Charité Mitte | Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Berlin, Germany
| | - Vanessa Muth
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Department of Surgery, Experimental Surgery, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt- Universität zu Berlin and Berlin Institute of Health, Campus Charité Mitte | Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Berlin, Germany
| | - Madhukar S Patel
- Department of Surgery, Abdominal Transplant and HPB Surgery, Ajmera Family Transplant Centre, Toronto General Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Markus Selzner
- Department of Surgery, Abdominal Transplant and HPB Surgery, Ajmera Family Transplant Centre, Toronto General Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Johann Pratschke
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Department of Surgery, Experimental Surgery, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt- Universität zu Berlin and Berlin Institute of Health, Campus Charité Mitte | Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Berlin, Germany
| | - Igor M Sauer
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Department of Surgery, Experimental Surgery, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt- Universität zu Berlin and Berlin Institute of Health, Campus Charité Mitte | Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Berlin, Germany
| | - Nathanael Raschzok
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Department of Surgery, Experimental Surgery, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt- Universität zu Berlin and Berlin Institute of Health, Campus Charité Mitte | Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Berlin, Germany.
- Department of Surgery, Abdominal Transplant and HPB Surgery, Ajmera Family Transplant Centre, Toronto General Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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Raigani S, De Vries RJ, Carroll C, Chen YW, Chang DC, Shroff SG, Uygun K, Yeh H. Viability testing of discarded livers with normothermic machine perfusion: Alleviating the organ shortage outweighs the cost. Clin Transplant 2020; 34:e14069. [PMID: 32860634 DOI: 10.1111/ctr.14069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2020] [Revised: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 08/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Over 700 donor livers are discarded annually in the United States due to high risk of poor graft function. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of using normothermic machine perfusion to identify transplantable livers among those currently discarded. STUDY DESIGN A series of 21 discarded human livers underwent viability assessment during normothermic machine perfusion. Cross-sectional analysis of the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients database and cost analysis was performed to extrapolate the case series to national experience. RESULTS 21 discarded human livers were included in the perfusion cohort. 11 of 20 (55%) eligible grafts met viability criteria for transplantation. Grafts in the perfusion cohort had a similar donor risk index compared with discarded grafts (n = 1402) outside of New England in 2017 and 2018 (median [IQR]: 2.0 [1.5, 2.4] vs. 2.0 [1.7, 2.3], P = .40). 705 (IQR 677-741) livers were discarded annually in the United States since 2005, translating to the potential for 398 additional transplants nationally. The median cost to identify a transplantable graft with machine perfusion was $28,099 USD. CONCLUSIONS Normothermic machine perfusion of discarded livers could identify a significant number of transplantable grafts, significantly improving access to liver transplantation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siavash Raigani
- Division of Transplant Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Center for Engineering in Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Shriners Hospital for Children, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Reinier J De Vries
- Center for Engineering in Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Shriners Hospital for Children, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Surgery, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Cailah Carroll
- Center for Engineering in Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Shriners Hospital for Children, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ya-Wen Chen
- Division of Transplant Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Codman Center for Clinical Effectiveness in Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - David C Chang
- Codman Center for Clinical Effectiveness in Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Stuti G Shroff
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Korkut Uygun
- Division of Transplant Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Center for Engineering in Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Shriners Hospital for Children, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Heidi Yeh
- Division of Transplant Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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Kvietkauskas M, Zitkute V, Leber B, Strupas K, Stiegler P, Schemmer P. The Role of Metabolomics in Current Concepts of Organ Preservation. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21186607. [PMID: 32927605 PMCID: PMC7555311 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21186607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2020] [Revised: 09/06/2020] [Accepted: 09/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
In solid organ transplantation (Tx), both survival rates and quality of life have improved dramatically over the last few decades. Each year, the number of people on the wait list continues to increase, widening the gap between organ supply and demand. Therefore, the use of extended criteria donor grafts is growing, despite higher susceptibility to ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) and consecutive inferior Tx outcomes. Thus, tools to characterize organ quality prior to Tx are crucial components for Tx success. Innovative techniques of metabolic profiling revealed key pathways and mechanisms involved in IRI occurring during organ preservation. Although large-scale trials are needed, metabolomics appears to be a promising tool to characterize potential biomarkers, for the assessment of graft quality before Tx and evaluate graft-related outcomes. In this comprehensive review, we summarize the currently available literature on the use of metabolomics in solid organ Tx, with a special focus on metabolic profiling during graft preservation to assess organ quality prior to Tx.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mindaugas Kvietkauskas
- General, Visceral and Transplant Surgery, Department of Surgery, Medical University of Graz, Auenbruggerpl. 2, Graz 8036, Austria; (M.K.); (V.Z.); (B.L.); (P.S.)
- Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, M. K. Ciurlionio 21, 03101 Vilnius, Lithuania;
| | - Viktorija Zitkute
- General, Visceral and Transplant Surgery, Department of Surgery, Medical University of Graz, Auenbruggerpl. 2, Graz 8036, Austria; (M.K.); (V.Z.); (B.L.); (P.S.)
- Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, M. K. Ciurlionio 21, 03101 Vilnius, Lithuania;
| | - Bettina Leber
- General, Visceral and Transplant Surgery, Department of Surgery, Medical University of Graz, Auenbruggerpl. 2, Graz 8036, Austria; (M.K.); (V.Z.); (B.L.); (P.S.)
| | - Kestutis Strupas
- Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, M. K. Ciurlionio 21, 03101 Vilnius, Lithuania;
| | - Philipp Stiegler
- General, Visceral and Transplant Surgery, Department of Surgery, Medical University of Graz, Auenbruggerpl. 2, Graz 8036, Austria; (M.K.); (V.Z.); (B.L.); (P.S.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +43-316-385-84094
| | - Peter Schemmer
- General, Visceral and Transplant Surgery, Department of Surgery, Medical University of Graz, Auenbruggerpl. 2, Graz 8036, Austria; (M.K.); (V.Z.); (B.L.); (P.S.)
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