Injury to cultured liver endothelial cells during cold preservation: energy-dependent versus energy-deficiency injury.

Previously, we demonstrated an energy-dependent injury to cultured liver endothelial cells during cold incubation in University of Wisconsin (UW) solution. Here, the effects of Histidine-Tryptophan-Ketoglutarate (HTK) and Euro-Collins (EC) solutions on these cells were studied. In HTK solution, 83% +/- 4% of the cells had lost viability after 9 h of incubation at 4 degrees C. The addition of cyanide (1 mM) to simulate hypoxic conditions protected the cells to the extent that only 9% +/- 1% of the cells lost viability over the same period; the addition of glucose (10 mM) led to increased cell injury. ATP levels were highest in the incubations with the most rapid loss of viability. In Krebs-Henseleit buffer and EC solution, in contrast, cell injury increased upon addition of cyanide; the addition of glucose to Krebs-Henseleit buffer decreased injury. We conclude that the injury to cultured liver endothelial cells during cold incubation in HTK solution is energy-dependent, as it is in UW solution, whereas cells behave differently in EC solution and Krebs-Henseleit buffer.