Does l-carnitine have any effect on cold preservation injury of non-fatty liver in the University of Wisconsin solution?
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the protective effect of l-carnitine on liver tissue preserved in University of Wisconsin (UW) solution.


METHODS
Twenty Wistar Albino rats were divided into two groups, a control (UW) group and a UW plus l-carnitine group. Retrieved liver grafts were preserved in UW and UW plus l-carnitine solutions at +4 degrees C. Preservation solution samples were assessed at 2, 24, 36, and 48 h to measure alanine aminotransferase and acid phosphatase activity. Tissue injury was scored on paraffin sections.


RESULTS
No micro or macrovacuolar fat droplets were observed in the tissue slices. l-Carnitine effectively decreased enzyme release when added to UW solution (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
In addition to fatty liver, l-carnitine might be a metabolic adjunct in preservation solutions for non-fatty liver within UW solution.
Coskun
Abdurrahman
A
Department of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Duzce University, Duzce, Turkey.
Gunal
Omer
O
Sahin
Ibrahim
I
Aslaner
Arif
A
Yildirim
Umran
U
Yavuz
Ozlem
O