title: Graft preservation with heparinized blood/saline solution induces severe graft dysfunction.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Vascular grafts are often stored in cold physiological saline/heparinized blood preservation solution. Until now, only in vitro studies investigated the effect of the aforementioned preservation solutions on endothelial function. The main goal of our study was to compare the storage effect of physiological saline and heparinized blood after short-time cold storage and warm reperfusion in a rat model of aortic transplantation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Aortic abdominal transplantations (n = 6-8/group) were performed in Lewis rats. The donor aortic arches were placed in cold physiological saline and heparinized blood solutions and stored for 2 h. After the 2 h ischaemia, the aortic arches were transplanted into the abdominal aorta of the recipient. Two, 24 h or 1 week after transplantation, implanted grafts were harvested. Endothelium-dependent (acetylcholine) and -independent (sodium nitroprusside) vasorelaxation were investigated in organ bath experiments. DNA strand breaks were assessed by transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labelling-method and mRNA expression by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. In addition, the expression of CD-31 was also investigated by immunochemistry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Severely impaired endothelial function and integrity of grafts were shown after 2 and 24 h reperfusion in both groups (maximal vasorelaxation control: 94 ± 1%, heparinized blood: 27 ± 4 and 17 ± 3%, saline 34 ± 5% and 28 ± 5%; CD-31 positive area control: 96 ± 1% blood: 38 ± 8% and 41 ± 6%, saline: 35 ± 12% and 41 ± 7%, respectively P < 0.05). After 1 week, endothelial function and integrity were partially recovered (maximal vasorelaxation: heparinized blood: 46 ± 4%, saline: 46 ± 2%, CD-31 positive area blood: 35 ± 4%; saline: 56 ± 5%, P < 0.05). In addition, mRNA levels of Bax, Bcl-2 and caspase-3 were significantly altered and DNA stand breaks were observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Storage with the generally used physiological saline and heparinized blood solutions is unable to protect the endothelium against cold ischaemia and warm reperfusion injury. A similar weak preservation effect was observed.
authors: Department of Cardiac Surgery, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany gaborveres@yahoo.com.
authors: Gábor
authors: G
authors: Veres
authors: Department of Cardiac Surgery, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany Heart Center, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary.
authors: Péter
authors: P
authors: Hegedűs
authors: Department of Cardiac Surgery, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors: Enikő
authors: E
authors: Barnucz
authors: Department of Cardiac Surgery, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors: Raphael
authors: R
authors: Zöller
authors: Department of Cardiac Surgery, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors: Stephanie
authors: S
authors: Klein
authors: Heart Center, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary.
authors: Tamás
authors: T
authors: Radovits
authors: Department of Cardiac Surgery, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors: Sevil
authors: S
authors: Korkmaz
authors: Department of Cardiac Surgery, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors: Matthias
authors: M
authors: Karck
authors: Department of Cardiac Surgery, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors: Gábor
authors: G
authors: Szabó
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001012:Aorta, Abdominal; D015925:Cryopreservation / Q000379:methods; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000209:etiology*; D006493:Heparin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D009926:Organ Preservation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D019188:Organ Preservation Solutions / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000032:analysis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D058017:Vascular Grafting / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D014661:Vasoconstriction / Q000187:drug effects; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D019188:Organ Preservation Solutions; D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D006493:Heparin
keywords: Endothelium; Ischaemia; Preservation solution; Reperfusion