Bilirubin, a physiological antioxidant, can improve cryopreservation of human hepatocytes.
The availability of cryopreserved hepatocytes is required for a more widespread use of hepatocyte transplantation, but human hepatocytes are easily damaged during freezing-thawing. Here, preincubation with unconjugated bilirubin, a physiological antioxidant, resulted in increased viability and function of hepatocytes (as determined by trypan blue exclusion, mitochondrial succinate dehydrogenases activity, urea synthesis, and cytochrome P450 1A/2) compared with cells incubated without the pigment. These findings suggest that unconjugated bilirubin may be used as cryoprotectant in clinical hepatocyte transplantation.
Galbiati
G
G
Laboratory of Medicine, Ospedale Bambino Gesù, Rome, Italy.
Muraca
M
M
Mitry
R R
RR
Hughes
R D
RD
Lehec
S C
SC
Puppi
J
J
Sagias
F G
FG
Caruso
M
M
Mieli-Vergani
G
G
Dhawan
A
A
D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects*; D015925:Cryopreservation / Q000379:methods*; D003451:Cryoprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005615:Freezing; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D009926:Organ Preservation / Q000379:methods*
D000975:Antioxidants; D003451:Cryoprotective Agents; D001663:Bilirubin