Deuterium nuclear magnetic resonance for evaluating the metabolic status of livers subjected to warm ischemia.

BACKGROUND: The development of reliable methods for assessing the viability of currently available livers is expected to increase the number of successful transplantations. METHODS: 2 H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) was used to search for metabolic markers of ischemia in explanted rat livers. Deuterium oxide (2 H2O) was used as a source of 2 H. A total of 10-80% v/v 2 H2O was added to homogenates obtained from a liver biopsy and the formation of 2 H-labeled metabolites was monitored. RESULTS: Some well-resolved 2 H resonances were found in the homogenates from biopsies of warm ischemic liver. Two of these were identified as [3-2 H] lactate and [2-2 H] lactate, and a linear relationship was found between the ratio of [[2-2 H] lactate] to [[3-2 H] lactate] and the warm ischemia time. The deuterium incorporation into lactate was explained on the basis of the metabolic events occurring under hypoxic conditions. CONCLUSIONS: The experimental results support the application of 2 H NMR for a reliable evaluation of the metabolic status of a liver harvested from non-heart-beating donors.