Phagocytic activity of sinusoidal lining cells was studied in 32 livers of male Lewis rats by in v i m fluorescence microscopy with epiillumination. Normal livers (group 1, n = 8) were compared with orthotopic eyngeneic liver grafts 90 min after reperfusion after a period of cold storage in University of Wisconsin solution for 17 hr (group 2, n = 10) or 24 hr (group 3, n = 14). After bolus iqjection of fluorescence-labeled latex particles (3 x 1 O * h diameter = 1.1 pm), zonal distribution and kinetics of adherence of latex beads were quantiiied by off-line video analysis. Hepatocellular function was estimated by the rate of bile production and biliary concentrations of bile acids. In normal livers 60%, 37% and 13% of iqjected latex beads adhered in zones 1, 2 and 3, respectively, whereas in transplanted livers a more homogeneous distribution was found (group 2: 37%, 41%, 22%; group 3 37%, 39%, 24%; p c 0.01 v8. controls by analysis of variance). Kinetic analysis of phagocytic activity showed no significant diff'erence between group 1 (88% adherence of visible latex beads 3 min after injection) and group 2 (90% adherence). However, after long-term preservation in group 3, sinusoidal adherence was a @cantly faster (96.4% adherence; p < 0.001). Bile secretion in group 2 was lower than in controls and severely d e p d in group 3 (group 1: 1.1 f 0.07 pl/min/gm liver [mean -c S.E.M.]; group 2: 0.8 f 0.07; group 3 0.1 k 0.04; p < 0.001) without si@cant changes in bile acid concentrations. Bile production correlated inversely with adherence of latex particles (p < 0.001, P = 0.44). We conclude that increased phagocytic activity after liver transplantation is associated with depressed hepatocellular excretory function. These &ts provide further evidence that activated Kupffer cells are involved in hepatic reper-M o n injury after extended periods of cold ischemia. (HEPATOLOGY 1992; 16803-809.)
Preservation damage of a transplanted liver may seriously affect the prognosis of the recipient (1). Unlike