Effect of calcium antagonists on rat liver during extended cold preservation-reperfusion.
BACKGROUND
Nisoldipine, a calcium antagonist, has been reported to improve the quality of grafted rat livers. We thus assessed the protective effect of two calcium antagonists, nisoldipine and nickel, during extended cold ischemia-reperfusion.


METHODS
Rat livers were isolated and perfused before or after 24 hr of cold ischemia in University of Wisconsin solution (4 degrees C) with or without nisoldipine or nickel. Sinusoidal endothelial cell and hepatocyte functions were measured by hyaluronic acid and taurocholate elimination, respectively.


RESULTS
Similar alterations in hepatocyte and sinusoidal cell functions were found in all groups after cold ischemia with or without calcium antagonists. In a second set of experiments, liver transplantation was performed in two groups of rats with livers stored under identical conditions with or without nisoldipine. Seven of 12 animals (62.5%) in both groups survived for over 10 days after 24-hr preservation in University of Wisconsin solution. Survival rates were similar in both groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Calcium antagonists do not appear to have a direct protective effect on sinusoidal endothelial cell and hepatocyte functions, nor on the overall liver preservation after extended cold preservation-reperfusion.
de Broin
E
E
Centre de recherche clinique André-Viallet, Département des Laboratoires, Hôpital Saint-Luc and Université de Montréal, Québec,Canada.
Urata
K
K
Giroux
L
L
Lepage
R
R
Huet
P M
PM
D000241:Adenosine; D000493:Allopurinol; D000818:Animals; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003080:Cold Temperature; D005978:Glutathione; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000502:physiology; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D007328:Insulin; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D015737:Nisoldipine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009926:Organ Preservation / Q000379:methods*; D019188:Organ Preservation Solutions; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D011887:Raffinose; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D015424:Reperfusion; D013656:Taurocholic Acid / Q000378:metabolism
D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D007328:Insulin; D019188:Organ Preservation Solutions; C055206:University of Wisconsin-lactobionate solution; D015737:Nisoldipine; D013656:Taurocholic Acid; D000493:Allopurinol; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid; D005978:Glutathione; D000241:Adenosine; D011887:Raffinose