The application of
perfluorocarbons, which can carry large quantities of
oxygen, in organ preservation was limited by their poor solubility in water. A stable form of
perfluorocarbon dispersed in suitable
buffers is urgently needed.
Perfluorocarbon emulsion was designed and characterized with respect to size distribution, rheology, stability, and
oxygen-carrying capacity. The state of
DCD rat donor livers preserved by the oxygenated
perfluorocarbon emulsion was studied after ex vivo reperfusion by using biochemistry, pathology, and immunohistochemistry methods.
Perfluorocarbon emulsion was successfully prepared by high-pressure homogenization. Optimized
perfluorocarbon emulsion showed nanoscale size distribution, good stability, and higher
oxygen loading capacity than that of
HTK solution or water. The state of preserved livers after
cardiac death rat liver was improved significantly after static cold storage for 48 hours in this oxygenated
perfluorocarbon emulsion. The
ATP content and down-regulation of HIF-1a expression after preservation of the liver graft by the oxygenated
perfluorocarbon emulsion suggested the advantage of adequate
oxygen supply for adequate time. This
perfluorocarbon emulsion reported here might be considered a promising system for oxygenated donor liver storage by attenuation of
hypoxia.