In vivo protection of the pig liver against ischemia/reperfusion injury by tauroursodeoxycholate

Abstract 

Introduction: Tauroursodeoxycholate (TUDC) is used routinely in the treatment of cholestatic liver disease. The present study was designed to determine whether it would mitigate ischemia/reperfusion injury in an in vivo pig liver-transplantation model. Methods: Transplantation was performed in 12 animals after a preservation time of 8 h. In the control group (n=6), 0.9% saline was infused into the donor. In the experimental group (n=6), TUDC was given intravenously at a rate of 2 µmol/kg body weight per minute. In the recipient, infusion was started at the time of reperfusion; saline was infused for 400 min in the control group, TUDC for the same duration at a rate of 0.2 µmol/kg body weight per minute in the experimental group. Blood was drawn for determination of liver enzymes. Bile samples were collected and bile flow (BF) and bile salt secretion rate (BSSR) were determined. Results: One-week survival was 92% and not different among groups. Liver enzymes were lower in the TUDC group than the saline group. Prior to TUDC infusion in the donor animals, there were no differences in BF and BSSR. After infusion of TUDC, BF and BSSR were highly significantly different than the control group. Discussion: Infusion of TUDC in pig livers protects against ischemia/reperfusion injury in vivo. This might be due to the membrane-stabilizing effect of TUDC. Preconditioning of liver grafts with TUDC could potentially lead to improved liver function post-transplantation.