[Effect of glycogen on calcium of donor liver during ischemia-reperfusion period].

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effect of glycogen on calcium concentration of rabbit donor liver during ischemia-reperfusion period.

METHODS

Donor group (n=21) was divided into 3 subgroups randomly: Group A (n=7): fasting for 24 hours before harvesting; Group B (n=7): normal laboratory chew; Group C (n=7): normal laboratory chew plus glucose supplement intravenously. Based on the self-created animal model for ischemia-reperfusion, the levels of glycogen content, ATP level, viability of Ca(2+)ATPase and plasmic free Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+)]i) of liver tissue were measured.

RESULTS

Before cold preservation, there was a significant difference of glycogen content among the three groups at all time points except at the end of rewarming period. ATP level and Ca(2+)ATPase viability were significantly higher in group C than in other two groups. But the plasmic free Ca(2+) concentration was lower in groups with higher glycogen content.

CONCLUSIONS

Donor liver with high glycogen content can provide relatively sufficient ATP, maintain better Ca(2+)ATPase viability and prevent plasmic free Ca(2+) concentration overloading. This maybe an important mechanism for glycogen to ameliorate ischemia-reperfusion injury to the donor livers.