New class of oxygen carriers improves islet isolation from long-term stored rat pancreata

OBJECTIVE: Pancreas shipment is frequently associated with prolonged ischemia deteriorating islet graft function. The strategy to prevent ischemic damage utilizing perfluorodecalin (PFD) for human pancreas oxygenation does not seem to improve isolation outcome. The present study investigated the efficiency of perfluorohexyloctane (F6H8), a hyperoxygen carrier characterized by low specific density (1.33 g/cm3) and lipophilic qualities, to facilitate islet isolation from long-term stored rat pancreata. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Prior to islet isolation, pancreata were intraductally flushed in situ with Kyoto solution (KS) and stored for 24 hours in KS, oxygenated PFD, or F6H8. RESULTS: Islet isolation performed after 24-hour storage in KS failed completely. The intrapancreatic pO2 in PFD- and F6H8-incubated pancreata was almost the same. In correspondence, the ATP content and viability of isolated islets were similar as well. In contrast, islet yield and in vitro function were significantly reduced after storage in PFD compared with F6H8. CONCLUSION: This study suggested that islet isolation performed after long-term pancreas preservation can be significantly improved utilizing semifluorinated alkanes as oxygen carriers.