Does melatonin alleviate cold preservation injury of the liver?

Authors: ÖMER GÜNAL, ABDURRAHMAN COŞKUN, ARİF ASLANER, ÜMRAN YILDIRIM

Abstract: To investigate the effect of melatonin added to preservation solution on liver cold ischemia. Materials and methods: Twenty male Wistar albino rats were divided equally into groups treated with University of Wisconsin (UW) solution with and without melatonin. The LDH, AST, and ACP activities of the preservation solutions were determined in samples collected at 2, 24, 36, and 48 h. Tissue malondialdehyde and heat shock protein (HSP 70) levels were also measured and a histological examination was performed at 48 h. Results: Melatonin prevented enzyme elevation, induced heat shock protein (HSP 70), and decreased lipid peroxidation effectively in comparison to the control group (P < 0.05). The histological examination revealed that UW solution containing melatonin prevented Kupffer cell activation and inflammation significantly (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Melatonin in preservation solutions such as UW solution may protect tissue effectively from damage during cold ischemia for up to 48 h.

Keywords: Antioxidant, cold preservation, heat shock protein, liver, melatonin, University of Wisconsin solution

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