Hepatocellular uptake of cyclodextrin-complexed curcumin during liver preservation: A feasibility study

Area of Science:

• Organ transplantation research
• Biomedical engineering
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Increasing demand for donor organs necessitates improved preservation methods.
• Ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI) compromises organ quality during preservation.
• Curcumin/dextrin complex (CDC) is a potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent with potential therapeutic applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the intracellular uptake and stability of CDC in rat livers under hypothermic conditions.
• To evaluate the efficacy of CDC in reducing ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI) in preserved rat livers.
• To assess the impact of CDC on organ quality following different preservation protocols.

Main Methods:

• Wistar rat livers were procured after circulatory death (DCD) and brain death (DBD) models.
• Livers were flushed with CDC-enriched preservation solutions and stored at 4°C.
• CDC stability and cellular uptake were assessed using fluorescence and HPLC analysis.
• Histological injury and oxidative stress markers were evaluated post-preservation.

Main Results:

• CDC demonstrated stable fluorescence and rapid cellular uptake in preservation solutions for up to 4 hours.
• Metabolization of CDC occurred after 4 hours of preservation, with low tissue levels detected.
• CDC distribution was unaffected by warm ischemia or flushing strategies.
• Curcumin treatment reduced oxidative stress and histological injury without altering gene expression.

Conclusions:

• CDC flush solution is a promising approach for initial organ flushing to enhance liver preservation.
• CDC can improve and maintain liver quality during preservation, potentially reducing IRI.
• Further research is warranted to optimize CDC application in clinical organ transplantation.