Enhanced restoration of adenine nucleotides in rat liver following extended preservation in UW solution by provision of adenosine during reperfusion.

The extensive reduction of adenine nucleotides during preservation coupled with the loss of salvageable precursors during initial reflow may exacerbate recovery of adenine nucleotides in allograft liver following transplantation. The objective of this study was to assess whether provision of adenosine during reperfusion of rat liver stored for 20 hr in University of Wisconsin solution could enhance adenine nucleotide restoration. ATP and total adenine nucleotide content of livers perfused with an oxygenated Krebs/fluorocarbon solution containing 1 mM adenosine were restored to levels in vivo within 30 min of perfusion. Adenine nucleotide recovery in livers perfused without adenosine was only 65% of normal. Acute nutritional deprivation of the donor rats had no effect on adenine nucleotide restoration. These results indicate that a conditional deficiency of intracellular nucleotide precursors exists during initial reperfusion of liver subjected to extended storage in UW solution. Provision of supplemental adenosine to the allograft liver during initial reflow appears warranted to promote full and rapid restoration of adenine nucleotide content following extended preservation ex vivo.