Superior protection in orthotopic rat lung transplantation with cyclic adenosine monophosphate and nitroglycerin–containing preservation solution

AbstractBackground: Primary lung graft failure is common, and current lung preservation strategies are suboptimal. Because the decline in lung levels of cyclic adenosine monophosphate and cyclic guanosine monophosphate during preservation could enhance adhesiveness of endothelial cells for leukocytes as well as increase vascular permeability and vasoconstriction, we hypothesized that buttressing these levels by means of a preservation solution would significantly improve lung preservation. Methods: An orthotopic rat left lung transplantation model was used. Lungs were harvested from male Lewis rats and preserved for 6 hours at 4°C with (1) Euro-Collins solution (n = 8); (2) University of Wisconsin solution (n = 8); (3) low-potassium dextran glucose solution (n = 8); (4) Columbia University solution (n = 8), which contains a cyclic adenosine monophosphate analog (dibutyryl cyclic adenosine monophosphate) and a nitric oxide donor (nitroglycerin) to buttress cyclic guanosine monophosphate levels; or (5) Columbia University solution without cyclic adenosine monophosphate or nitroglycerin (n = 8). PaO2, pulmonary vascular resistance, and recipient survival were evaluated 30 minutes after left lung transplantation and removal of the nontransplanted right lung from the pulmonary circulation. Results: Among all groups studied, grafts stored with Columbia University solution demonstrated the highest Pa O2 (355 ± 25 mm Hg for Columbia University solution versus 95 ± 22 mm Hg for Euro-Collins solution, P < .01, 172 ± 55 mm Hg for University of Wisconsin solution, P < .05, 76 ± 15 mm Hg for low-potassium dextran glucose solution, P < .01, and 82 ± 25 mm Hg for Columbia University solution without cyclic adenosine monophosphate or nitroglycerin, P < .01) and the lowest pulmonary vascular resistances (1 ± 0.2 mm Hg • mL–1 • min–1 for Columbia University solution versus 12 ± 4 mm Hg • mL–1 • min–1 for Euro-Collins solution, P < .01, 9 ± 2 mm Hg • mL–1 • min–1 for University of Wisconsin solution, 14 ± 6 mm Hg • mL–1 • min–1 for low-potassium dextran glucose solution, P < .01, and 8 ± 2 mm Hg • mL–1 • min–1 for Columbia University solution without cyclic adenosine monophosphate and nitroglycerin). These functional and hemodynamic improvements provided by Columbia University solution were accompanied by decreased graft leukostasis and decreased recipient tumor necrosis factor α and interleukin 1α levels compared with the other groups. In toto, these improvements translated into superior survival among recipients of Columbia University solution–preserved grafts (100% for Columbia University solution, 37% for Euro-Collins solution, P < .01, 50% for University of Wisconsin solution, P < .05, 50% for low-potassium dextran glucose solution, P < .05, and 13% for Columbia University solution without cyclic adenosine monophosphate and nitroglycerin, P < .01). Conclusion: Nitroglycerin and cyclic adenosine monophosphate confer beneficial vascular effects that make Columbia University solution a superior lung preservation solution in a stringent rat lung transplantation model. (J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 1999;118:135-44