A method for translational rat ex vivo lung perfusion experimentation

Area of Science:

• Transplantation research
• Organ preservation techniques
• Pulmonary medicine

Background:

• Ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP) enhances the clinical viability of marginal donor lungs.
• Existing large animal EVLP models are insufficient for studying long-term lung repair strategies.
• A rat EVLP model is needed to investigate lung injury mechanisms, particularly cold ischemic time (CIT).

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a rat EVLP model for studying lung injury.
• To assess the impact of varying cold ischemic times (CIT) on lung function.
• To establish a platform for evaluating strategies to improve lung preservation.

Main Methods:

• A 4-hour EVLP procedure was performed on male Lewis rat donor lungs.
• Donor lungs were transplanted into recipient rats, with function assessed 2 hours post-reperfusion.
• Lungs were exposed to different CITs (20 min to 24 h) to evaluate injury.

Main Results:

• The model maintained stable lung function during 4-hour EVLP across all tested CITs.
• Lung compliance decreased significantly after 18 hours of CIT (P=0.012).
• Post-transplant oxygenation was reduced with CIT durations up to 12 hours compared to 20 minutes (P=0.0062).
• Severe edema precluded experiments with 24-hour CIT.

Conclusions:

• A novel rat EVLP model successfully maintains lung viability for up to 12 hours of CIT.
• This model enables the study of lung injury associated with cold ischemic time.
• The developed model is suitable for pre-clinical research on lung preservation and repair strategies.