Effects of Trehalose in Preservation of Canine Lung for Transplants

The effect of trehalose, a non-reducing disaccharide which stabilizes and protects membranes, in the preservation of canine lungs was examined when Euro-Collins solution was basically used as a preservant. In group I, five lungs were perfused and preserved in an Euro-Collins solution modified by replacing the glucose with 35.0 g/L of trehalose. Five control lungs (group II) were perfused and preserved with Euro-Collins solution containing 35.0 g/L glucose. In both groups, no vasodilators were used. After preservation for 12 hours, left lung allotransplantation was performed. At 10, 40, 70, and 130 minutes after reperfusion, the right pulmonary artery was clamped for 10 minutes and four parameters were measured: arterial oxygen tension, mean pulmonary arterial pressure, peak inspiratory pressure, and wet/dry weight ratios. The transplanted lung was also examined histologically. At 10, 40, 70, and 130 minutes after reperfusion, oxygen-tension levels from group I were 263.2 +/- 19.2, 283.4 +/- 14.0, 277.5 +/- 19.9 and 264.9 +/- 26.2 mmHg, respectively. In group II, the corresponding values were 191.2 +/- 33.9, 188.0 +/- 40.3, 153.4 +/- 40.0 and 134.7 +/- 49.4 mmHg, respectively. At 70 and 130 minutes the difference were significant (p < 0.05). All transplanted lungs from group I showed normal histology, whereas four dogs in group II developed severe pulmonary edema and one had a partially edematous lung. These findings suggest that simple substitution of trehalose for glucose has a beneficial effect on preservation of canine lung for 12 hours.