Over the past two decades, the application of machine perfusion (MP) in human liver transplantation has moved from the realm of clinical exploration to routine clinical practice. Both in situ and ex situ perfusion strategies are feasible, safe, and may offer improvements in relevant post-transplant outcomes. An important utility of these strategies is the ability to transplant grafts traditionally considered too risky to transplant using conventional cold storage alone. While dynamic assessment and ultimately transplantation of such livers is an important goal for the international liver transplant community, its clinical application is inconsistent. To this end, ELITA (the European Liver and Intestine Transplant Association) gathered a panel of experts to create consensus guidelines regarding selection, approach, and criteria for deceased donor liver assessment in the MP era. An eight-member steering committee (SC) convened a panel of 44 professionals working in 14 countries in Europe and North America. The SC identified topics related to liver utilisation and assessment for transplantation. For each topic, subtopics were created to answer specific clinical questions. A systematic literature review was performed, and the panel graded relevant evidence. The SC drafted initial statements addressing each clinical question. Statements were presented at the in-person Consensus Meeting on Liver Discard and Viability Assessment during the ELITA Summit held from April 19-20, 2024, in Madrid, Spain. Online voting was held to approve statements according to a modified Delphi method; statements reaching ≥85% agreement were approved. Statements addressing liver utilisation, the definition of high-risk livers, and strategies and criteria for dynamic liver assessment are presented.

A common limitation to normothermic ex situ heart perfusion (ESHP) is functional decline. We previously designed a cardioprotective normothermic perfusion protocol, incorporating adenosine-lidocaine cardioplegia, subnormothermic reperfusion, pyruvate and methylprednisolone supplementation, and hemofiltration to prevent myocardial functional decline over 4 hours. In this study, we added continuous catecholamine infusion and protective loading conditions to assess the effectiveness of this enhanced cardioprotective perfusion protocol in preventing functional decline during extended normothermic perfusion in marginal porcine hearts.

Six slaughterhouse pig hearts underwent 9 hours of normothermic ESHP using the enhanced cardioprotective protocol. Cardiac function was assessed at 90, 120, 240, 360, 480 and 540 minutes of ESHP. Subsequently, a preload-challenge was conducted after 9 hours to assess preload-responsiveness (mimicking the Frank-Starling principle) and suitability for transplantation.

During perfusion, myocardial function remained stable, indicated by consistent mean cardiac index (9.2liter/min/kg at 90; 9.3liter/min/kg at 540 minutes of ESHP), left ventricular stroke work index (6,258mmHg*ml/kg at 90; 6,707mmHg*ml/kg at 540 minutes) and rate of ventricular pressure change over time. In response to a preload-challenge, there was a notable increase of 34% in mean cardiac index and 58% in mean stroke work.

Our study demonstrates that the implementation of a cardioprotective protocol enables (very) marginal porcine slaughterhouse hearts, subjected to both a warm and cold ischemic insult prior to ESHP, to sustain satisfactory cardiac function without notable decline during 9 hours of normothermic ESHP, while also preserving their preload-responsiveness. The latter finding might indicate suitability for transplantation. This study provides a groundwork for further extending normothermic ESHP, unlocking the full potential of this promising technology.

During normothermic machine perfusion (NMP), a variety of criteria are used to gauge the suitability of an organ for transplantation. However, the relations between donor factors and these criteria are poorly understood. The aim of this meta-analysis was to investigate the association between donor-related risk factors and the decision to transplant a liver subjected to NMP.

A comprehensive literature search was performed for articles published up to March 2025 in four databases, reporting livers subjected to NMP for viability assessment prior to transplantation. Effect size (ES) was calculated using Cohen's D and log odds ratio.

Out of 806 unique articles, 18 were included in this meta-analysis, encompassing 690 liver grafts that underwent NMP. Following viability assessment during NMP, utilisation rate was 82% from donors after brain death and 68% from donors after circulatory death (ES: 0.08, p = 0.88). Transplanted livers had shorter cold ischemia time (ES: -0.34, p = 0.003) and lower liver weight (ES: -0.53, p < 0.001). Donor age, BMI and donor warm ischemia time did not differentiate between transplanted and unused groups. Differences were observed in viability assessment for lactate clearance (ES: 2.0, p = 0.005), glucose metabolism (ES: 2.2, p < 0.001), bile production (ES: 1.0, p = 0.003) and pH (ES: 1.9, p < 0.001). Excellent outcomes, including 10% non-anastomotic strictures, 89% graft survival and 93% patient survival, were achieved in a large cohort of high-risk livers.

Cold ischemia time and liver weight were identified as donor-related risk factors, whereas donor type, age and donor warm ischemia time appear not to impact the decision to transplant during NMP.

We established a compact machine perfusion system for whole blood perfusion of rat liver by making use of oxygenation filters as an artificial lung. Livers removed from rats were divided into Krebs-Henseleit (control), 50% blood (hemoglobin: 7 g/dL), and whole blood (hemoglobin: 14 g/dL) groups, then perfused (total perfusate volume: 25 ml) with a small oxygenation filter at 37 °C for 120 min. Blood or perfusate was collected over time, and blood gas and blood cell were measured. In addition, bile volume and portal venous pressure measurements were taken. In all groups, the partial pressure of oxygen was controlled to approximately 400 mmHg. Flow rates were maintained at approximately about 20-30 ml/min according to liver size. Portal venous pressure was normal in the 50% blood and whole blood groups, while lower than the reference value in the Krebs-Henseleit group. Twice as much bile was produced in the 50% blood and whole blood groups relative with the Krebs-Henseleit group. We observed no differences in hemoglobin and red blood cell levels. Lactate levels were normal in the 50% blood and whole blood groups, but were elevated in the Krebs-Henseleit group. Our compact perfusion system using oxygenation filters was able to maintain rat liver function by perfusing a small amount of extracorporeal blood. This system is simple and stable, and may contribute to the future development of machine perfusion systems.

Model systems are critical in biomedical and preclinical research. Animal and in vitro models serve an important role in our current understanding of human physiology, disease pathophysiology, and therapy development. However, if the system is between cell culture and animal models, it may be able to overcome the knowledge gap that exists in the current system. Studies employing ex vivo organs as models have not been thoroughly investigated. Though the integration of other organs and systems has an impact on many biological mechanisms and disorders, it can add a new dimension to modeling and aid in the identification of new possible therapeutic targets. Here, we have discussed why the ex vivo organ model is desirable and the importance of the inclusion of organs from diverse species, described its historical aspects, studied organs as models in scientific research, and its ex vivo stability. We also discussed, how an ex vivo organ model might help researchers better understand organ physiology, as well as organ-specific diseases and therapeutic targets. We emphasized how this ex vivo organ dynamics will be more competent than existing models, as well as what tissues or organs would have potentially viable longevity for ex vivo modeling including human tissues, organs, and/or at least biopsies and its possible advantage in clinical medicine including organ transplantation procedure and precision medicine.

Long-term normothermic machine perfusion (LT-NMP) enables the assessment and optimization of livers for days and, potentially, weeks. However, models of LT-NMP have only been described for human and pig livers, which are resource intensive and impractical for laboratory research. Cost-effective small animal models of LT-NMP are needed for future research. This study aimed to develop a system for LT-NMP of rat livers for up to 72 h.

This study was performed in two stages: the development phase (n = 20) and validation phase (n = 5). The perfusion system included an organ reservoir, pump, heat exchanger, long-term oxygenator, and dialysis. Hormonal and nutritional support were continuously infused. During the validation phase, five consecutive grafts were perfused using our protocol. At 72 h postreperfusion, grafts were assessed for viability, which was based on hemodynamic stability, mitochondrial function, bile production, and metabolic activity.

Rodent livers were supported up to 107 h using our LT-NMP protocol. All grafts in the validation phase remained viable at 72 h (n = 5/5). The median oxygen consumption and bile production at 72 h were 0.079 mLO2/min/g-liver and 8.6 uL/h/g-liver, respectively. All grafts had a systemic vascular resistance less than 0.25 mmHg/mL/min. Metabolic activity, defined as lactate clearance, glucose production, or response to glucagon, was observed in all grafts (5/5).

This is the first study to report LT-NMP of rodent livers up to 5 days. Using our protocol, rat livers could reliably be supported until 72 h. This model provides a greater opportunity to investigate novel therapeutics to assess, optimize, and regenerate liver grafts for transplantation.

The liver fulfils a plethora of vital functions and, due to their importance, liver dysfunction has life-threatening consequences. Liver disorders currently account for more than two million deaths annually worldwide and can be classified broadly into three groups, considering their onset and aetiology, as acute liver diseases, inherited metabolic disorders and chronic liver diseases. In the most advanced and severe forms leading to liver failure, liver transplantation is the only treatment available, which has many associated drawbacks, including a shortage of organ donors. Cell therapy via fully mature cell transplantation is an advantageous alternative that may be able to restore a damaged organ's functionality or serve as a bridge until regeneration can occur. Pioneering work has shown that transplanting adult hepatocytes can support liver recovery. However, primary hepatocytes cannot be grown extensively in vitro as they rapidly lose their metabolic activity. Therefore, different cell sources are currently being tested as alternatives to primary cells. Human pluripotent stem cell-derived cells, chemically induced liver progenitors, or 'liver' organoids, hold great promise for developing new cell therapies for acute and chronic liver diseases. This Review focuses on the advantages and drawbacks of distinct cell sources and the relative strategies to address different therapeutic needs in distinct liver diseases.

We've had more than a hundred years of discovery-based human malaria research that has made steady progress in observing disease processes (such as sequestration and vascular occlusion) as well as potential mechanisms of immunity. These observations now take centre stage as we enter an era of mass vaccination that will alter the natural history and epidemiology of malaria. We will need to understand how to protect individuals from breakthrough infections and populations from a shift in the mean age of exposure. It is therefore paramount that we start to directly test our long-standing hypotheses about the causes of disease and the pathways to protection. This is now made possible by improvements to complex cellular model systems as well as a sea-change in our attitude towards human intervention studies. Mechanistic insight is therefore no longer limited to animal models, which are always imperfect, but can be achieved in people and in vivo.

Developing new strategies for local monitoring and delivery of immunosuppression is critical to making allografts safer and more accessible. Ex vivo genetic modification of grafts using machine perfusion presents a promising approach to improve graft function and modulate immune responses while minimizing risks of off-target effects and systemic immunogenicity in vivo. This proof-of-concept study demonstrates the feasibility of using normothermic machine perfusion (NMP) to mimic in vitro conditions for effective gene delivery. In this study, lentiviral vectors encoding the secreted biomarker Gaussia Luciferase (GLuc) and red fluorescent protein (RFP) were introduced ex vivo to rodent livers during a 72-h machine perfusion protocol. After an initial 24-h exposure to viral vectors, the organs were maintained in perfusion for an additional 48 h to monitor gene expression, aligning with in vitro benchmarks. Control livers were perfused in similar fashion, but without viral injections. Virally perfused livers exhibited nearly a 10-fold increase in luminescence compared to controls (p < 0.0001), indicating successful genetic modification of the organs. These findings validate the use of machine perfusion systems and viral vectors to genetically engineer whole organs ex vivo, laying the groundwork for a broad range of applications in transplantation through genetic manipulation of organ systems. Future studies will focus on refining this technology to enhance precision in gene expression and explore its implications for clinical translation.

Nanoparticles (NPs) are beneficial for delivery of drugs in a variety of settings, serving to protect their cargo and allow for sustained release. Polymeric NPs offer several advantages as therapeutics carriers due to their tunable characteristics like size and shape, ease of manufacturing, and biocompatibility. Despite this, there are no polymeric NPs that are approved for treatment of liver diseases. This is surprising since─when administered intravenously─the majority of NPs accumulate in cells in the liver. NP characteristics like size and surface charge can be altered to affect distribution to the liver, and even cellular distribution, but the conjugation of targeting ligands onto the NP surface for specific receptors on the cells is an important approach for enhancing cell specific delivery. Enhancing cell-specific targeting of conjugated NPs in the liver has two major hurdles: 1) avoiding accumulation of NPs in the liver resident macrophages known as Kupffer cells, which are optimized to phagocytose particulates, and 2) overcoming the transport barriers associated with architectural changes of the diseased liver. To identify the structures and mechanisms most important in NP design, NP administration during ex vivo perfusion (EVP)─achieved by anatomically isolating an organ by perfusing it outside the body─may be the most important and efficient approach. However, EVP is currently underutilized in the NP field, with limited research published on NPs delivered during liver EVP, and therefore representing an opportunity for future investigations.

Organic anion transporting polypeptides (OATPs) are membrane proteins that mediate the uptake of a wide range of substrates across the plasma membrane of various cells and tissues. They are classified into 6 subfamilies, OATP1 through OATP6. Humans contain 12 OATPs encoded by 11 solute carrier of organic anion transporting polypeptide (SLCO) genes: OATP1A2, OATP1B1, OATP1B3, the splice variant OATP1B3-1B7, OATP1C1, OATP2A1, OATP2B1, OATP3A1, OATP4A1, OATP4C1, OATP5A1, and OATP6A1. Most of these proteins are expressed in epithelial cells, where they mediate the uptake of structurally unrelated organic anions, cations, and even neutral compounds into the cytoplasm. The best-characterized members are OATP1B1 and OATP1B3, which have an important role in drug metabolism by mediating drug uptake into the liver and are involved in drug-drug interactions. In this review, we aimed to (1) provide a historical perspective on the identification of OATPs and their nomenclature and discuss their phylogenic relationships and molecular characteristics; (2) review the current knowledge of the broad substrate specificity and their role in drug disposition and drug-drug interactions, with a special emphasis on human hepatic OATPs; (3) summarize the different experimental systems that are used to study the function of OATPs and discuss their advantages and disadvantages; (4) review the available experimental 3-dimensional structures and examine how they can help elucidate the transport mechanisms of OATPs; and (5) finally, summarize the current knowledge of the regulation of OATP expression, discuss clinically important single-nucleotide polymorphisms, and outline challenges of physiologically based pharmacokinetic modeling and in vitro to in vivo extrapolation. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Organic anion transporting polypeptides (OATPs) are a family of 12 uptake transporters in the solute carrier superfamily. Several members, particularly the liver-expressed OATP1B1 and OATP1B3, are important drug transporters. They mediate the uptake of several endobiotics and xenobiotics, including statins and numerous other drugs, into hepatocytes, and their inhibition by other drugs or reduced expression due to single-nucleotide polymorphisms can lead to adverse drug effects. Their recently solved 3-dimensional structures should help to elucidate their transport mechanisms and broad substrate specificities.

The global shortage of suitable donor livers for transplantation has prompted efforts to expand the donor pool by using extended criteria donors. Machine preservation technology has shown promise in optimizing graft preservation and improving logistics. Additionally, it holds potential for organ repair, regeneration, therapeutic applications during extended preservation periods, and enhancing organ allocation.

We conducted a comprehensive literature review using PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases. All studies published between January 1, 2022, and February 7, 2024, that described machine perfusion preservation of livers for more than 24 h were eligible for inclusion. The findings were synthesized in a narrative review format to highlight key benefits and advancements.

We identified eleven studies from multiple research groups, employing various techniques, devices, and preservation durations. Perfusion durations ranged from 1 to 13 days, with notable variations in protocols for long-term preservation beyond 24 h. Viability was assessed during perfusion only. No livers were transplanted. Among the reviewed studies, the introduction of a dialysis system emerged as the most effective strategy for managing waste accumulation during long-term liver perfusion. Differences were also observed in hemodynamics, oxygenation, organ chambers, supplemental regimens, and glycemic control.

Over the past two years, substantial progress has been made in refining protocols for long-term liver machine perfusion, with significant advancements in waste management, enabling successful multi-day perfusions. While these developments are promising, further research is necessary to standardize and optimize long-term perfusion protocols, establishing a reliable platform for both organ preservation and therapeutic applications.

The human liver plays a central metabolic role; however, its physiology may become imbalanced in inborn errors of metabolism (IEM), a broad category of monogenic disorders. Liver transplantation has been increasingly used to improve patient metabolic control, especially in diseases related to amino acid metabolism, such as urea cycle disorders and organic acidurias, to provide enzyme replacement. Ex vivo liver normothermic machine perfusion (NMP) techniques have recently been developed to increase the number of transplantable grafts and improve transplantation outcomes. This study used seven NMP of explanted livers from patients with IEM undergoing transplantation as models to investigate disease-related liver metabolism and function. The perfused livers demonstrated positive viability indicators and disease-specific targeted metabolomics providing the proof-of-principle that our ex vivo model expresses the biochemical disease characteristics and responds to therapeutical intervention in a unique "physiological" milieu, offering an ideal tool to study novel treatments, in a setting closely mirroring human disease.

Normothermic machine perfusion (NMP) is a technique for donor liver preservation and assessment in transplantation. NMP has gained momentum recently by enabling safer use of higher risk organs via organ viability assessment. It also offers a platform for investigating ex vivo organ biology.

In this exploratory study, we completed a complex vascular reconstruction of explanted, diseased livers from patients undergoing transplantation and then perfused them normothermically on a closed perfusion circuit. We compared these livers to non-diseased donor livers via perfusate samples collected during perfusion.

Five hepatectomized grafts and eight donor livers were perfused for 1 h or longer. Four hepatectomized livers cleared lactate, and all consumed glucose; all control livers cleared lactate, and seven utilized glucose. Significantly higher portal vein flows were achieved in the control group.

Our findings illustrate the feasibility of using closed-circuit NMP as a platform to study hepatectomized organs, which could reshape the research landscape in mechanisms of disease and applied therapeutics for patients with end-stage liver disease.

The liver, a vital metabolic organ, is always susceptible to various diseases that ultimately lead to fibrosis, cirrhosis, acute liver failure, chronic liver failure, and even cancer. Optimal and specific medicine delivery in various diseases, hepatectomy, shunt placement, and other surgical interventions to reduce liver damage, transplantation, optimal preservation, and revival of the donated organ all rely on a complete understanding of perfusion and mass transfer in the liver. This study aims to simulate the computational fluid dynamics of perfusion and the temporal-spatial distribution of a medicine in a healthy liver to evaluate the hemodynamic characteristics of flow and medicine transport with the purpose of more effective liver treatment.

Patient-specific geometries of parenchyma and hepatic artery, portal vein, and hepatic vein vessels of a healthy liver were segmented and reconstructed from the abdominal computed tomography scan images. Mesh was generated for the comprehensive combined model using unstructured tetrahedral elements. Transient pressure values were applied as boundary conditions at the portal vein and hepatic artery inlets, and pressure outlet boundary condition was assumed at the hepatic vein outlet. Medicine injection was done through the portal vein. The liver parenchyma was assumed to be a porous medium. Finally, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation was performed to investigate blood perfusion, medicine distribution, and saturation time.

The velocity parameter values calculated for the hepatic artery, portal vein, and hepatic vein vessels were consistent with the physiological ranges. The mass flow rate was higher in the portal vein than in the hepatic artery, which was consistent with high perfusion through the portal vein. The portal pressure gradient was 8.53 mmHg. From a pharmacokinetic viewpoint, medicine distribution in porous tissue was a heterogeneous process. Medicine distribution was higher at end-diastolic pressure than at peak-systolic pressure which showed the influence of hepatic artery flow. The tissue was saturated faster at first 40 s and with decreasing porosity, saturation time decreased, and distribution improved.

The right lobe included a higher number of vascular terminals due to its larger volume, and the flow rate was higher in this lobe compared to the left lobe. This showed the significant effect of the right lobe on the overall function of the body. Recirculation flow zones along hepatic artery and portal vein branches emphasized the sensitivity of downstream vessels. Rotational flow and potential vortex formation at the hepatic vein outlet may indicate a risk of plaque and clot formation in this region. The heterogeneous distribution of medicine indicated the importance of injection time in treating liver diseases. The percentage of tissue porosity affected the saturation time, so adjusting the medicine dose and injection time could be challenging in treatments.

The discrepancy between donor organ availability and demand leads to a significant waiting-list dropout rate and mortality. Although quantitative tools such as the Donor Risk Index (DRI) help assess organ suitability, many potentially viable organs are still discarded due to the lack of universally accepted markers to predict post-transplant outcomes. Normothermic machine perfusion (NMP) offers a platform to assess viability before transplantation. Thus, livers considered unsuitable for transplantation based on the DRI can be evaluated and potentially transplanted. During NMP, various viability criteria have been proposed. These criteria are neither homogeneous nor consensual. In this review, we aimed to describe the viability criteria during NMP and evaluate their ability to predict hepatic graft function following transplantation. We conducted a PubMed search using the terms 'liver transplantation', 'normothermic machine perfusion' and 'assessment', including only English publications up to February 2024. Viability assessment during NMP includes multiple hepatocellular and cholangiocellular criteria. Lactate clearance and bile production are commonly used indicators, but their ability to predict post-transplant outcomes varies significantly. The predictive value of cholangiocellular criteria such as bile pH, bicarbonate and glucose levels remains under investigation. Novel markers, such as microRNAs and proteomic profiles, offer the potential to enhance graft evaluation accuracy and provide insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying liver viability. Combining perfusion parameters with biomarkers may improve the prediction of long-term graft survival. Future research should focus on standardising viability assessment protocols and exploring real-time biomarker evaluations, which could enhance transplantation outcomes and expand the donor pool.

Therapeutic efficacy and safety of adeno-associated virus (AAV) liver gene therapy depend on capsid choice. To predict AAV capsid performance under near-clinical conditions, we established side-by-side comparison at single-cell resolution in human livers maintained by normothermic machine perfusion. AAV-LK03 transduced hepatocytes much more efficiently and specifically than AAV5, AAV8 and AAV6, which are most commonly used clinically, and AAV-NP59, which is better at transducing human hepatocytes engrafted in immune-deficient mice. AAV-LK03 preferentially transduced periportal hepatocytes in normal liver, whereas AAV5 targeted pericentral hepatocytes in steatotic liver. AAV5 and AAV8 transduced liver sinusoidal endothelial cells as efficiently as hepatocytes. AAV capsid and steatosis influenced vector episome formation, which determines gene therapy durability, with AAV5 delaying concatemerization. Our findings inform capsid choice in clinical AAV liver gene therapy, including consideration of disease-relevant hepatocyte zonation and effects of steatosis, and facilitate the development of AAV capsids that transduce hepatocytes or other therapeutically relevant cell types in the human liver with maximum efficiency and specificity.

Membrane oxygenators facilitate extracorporeal gas exchange, necessitating the monitoring of blood gas. Recent advances in normothermic machine perfusion (NMP) for ex vivo liver offer solutions to the shortage of donor liver. However, maintaining physiological blood gas levels during prolonged NMP is complex and costly.

We introduce a noninvasive and economical approach for regulating the blood gas during NMP of ex vivo porcine livers. By monitoring gas fractions at the outlet of oxygenator, real-time adjustments of blood gas can be made without the online blood gas analyzer. The method involves constructing multivariate linear regression (MLR) models, aligning target setpoints of gas, and employing active disturbance rejection control (ADRC) to achieve closed-loop regulation.

Ex vivo porcine liver perfusion experiments demonstrated the effectiveness of the method, maintaining blood gas within physiological levels over 24 h (oxygen partial pressure: 150.36 ± 3.33 mmHg, carbon dioxide partial pressure: 41.34 ± 0.91 mmHg).

ADRC-based continuous regulation of gas fraction at the outlet of oxygenator is a feasible and effective approach for managing blood gas during ex vivo porcine liver perfusion.

To fully harness mesenchymal-stromal-cells (MSCs)' benefits during Normothermic Machine Perfusion (NMP), we developed an advanced NMP platform coupled with a MSC-bioreactor and investigated its bio-molecular effects and clinical feasibility using rat and porcine models. The study involved three work packages: 1) Development (n = 5): MSC-bioreactors were subjected to 4 h-liverless perfusion; 2) Rat model (n = 10): livers were perfused for 4 h on the MSC-bioreactor-circuit or with the standard platform; 3) Porcine model (n = 6): livers were perfused using a clinical device integrated with a MSC-bioreactor or in its standard setup. MSCs showed intact stem-core properties after liverless-NMP. Liver NMP induced specific, liver-tailored, changes in MSCs' secretome. Rat livers exposed to bioreactor-based perfusion produced more bile, released less damage and pro-inflammatory biomarkers, and showed improved mithocondrial function than those subjected to standard NMP. MSC-bioreactor integration into a clinical device resulted in no machine failure and perfusion-related injury. This proof-of-concept study presents a novel MSC-based liver NMP platform that could reduce the deleterious effects of ischemia/reperfusion before transplantation.

Bile duct regeneration is hypothesized to prevent biliary strictures, a leading cause of morbidity after liver transplantation. Assessing the capacity for biliary regeneration may identify grafts as suitable for transplantation that are currently declined, but this has been unfeasible until now. This study used long-term ex situ normothermic machine perfusion (LT-NMP) to assess biliary regeneration. Human livers that were declined for transplantation were perfused at 36 °C for up to 13.5 days. Bile duct biopsies, bile, and perfusate were collected throughout perfusion, which were examined for features of injury and regeneration. Biliary regeneration was defined as new Ki-67-positive biliary epithelium following severe injury. Ten livers were perfused for a median duration of 7.5 days. Severe bile duct injury occurred in all grafts, and biliary regeneration occurred in 70% of grafts. Traditional biomarkers of biliary viability such as bile glucose improved during perfusion but this was not associated with biliary regeneration (P > .05). In contrast, the maintenance of interleukin-6 and vascular endothelial growth factor-A levels in bile was associated with biliary regeneration (P = .017 for both cytokines). This is the first study to demonstrate biliary regeneration during LT-NMP and identify a cytokine signature in bile as a novel biomarker for biliary regeneration during LT-NMP.

Pump is a vital component for expelling the perfusate in small animal isolated organ normothermic machine perfusion (NMP) systems whose flexible structure and rhythmic contraction play a crucial role in maintaining perfusion system homeostasis. However, the continuous extrusion forming with the rigid stationary shaft of the peristaltic pumps can damage cells, leading to metabolic disorders and eventual dysfunction of transplanted organs. Here, we developed a novel biomimetic blood-gas system (BBGs) for preventing cell damage. This system mimics the cardiac cycle and features an adjustable inspiratory-to-expiratory (IE) ratio to mitigate acidosis caused by continuous oxygen inhalation. In our study, adipose stem cells (ADSCs) were cultured within the circulatory system for 10 min, 2, and 4 h. Compared to the peristaltic pump, the BBGs significantly reduced cell apoptosis and morphological injury while enhancing cell proliferation and adhesion. Additionally, when the supernatant from ADSCs was introduced to LPS-induced macrophages for 24 h, the BBGs group demonstrated a more pronounced anti-inflammatory effect, characterized by reduced M1 macrophage expression. Besides, with isolated rat livers from donation after circulatory death (DCD) perfusion with ADSCs for 6 h by the BBGs, we detected fewer apoptotic cells and a reduced inflammatory response, evidenced by down-regulated TNF-α expression. The development of BBGs demonstrates the feasibility of recreating physiological liquid-gas circulation in vitro, offering an alternative platform for isolated organ perfusion, especially for applications involving cell therapy.

Dual hypothermic oxygenated perfusion (DHOPE) is increasingly being used to extend liver preservation to improve transplant logistics. However, little is known about its benefits in high-risk liver grafts. This study aimed to investigate whether prolonged DHOPE provides benefits other than improved logistics in all liver types. We performed a national retrospective cohort study of 177 liver transplants from 12 Italian centers preserved with DHOPE for ≥4 hours between 2015 and 2022. A control group of 177 DHOPEs of <4 hours during the same period was created using 1:1 propensity score matching. The impact of risk profiles and preservation times on the outcomes was assessed using univariable and multivariable regression models. No significant differences in posttransplant outcomes were found between prolonged and short DHOPEs. However, the prolonged group had a significantly lower incidence of posttransplant acute kidney injury (AKI) compared to the short group (30.5% vs. 44.6%, p = 0.008). Among prolonged DHOPEs, no differences in transplant outcomes were observed according to donor risk index, Eurotransplant definition for marginal grafts, and balance of risk score. DHOPE duration was associated with a lower risk of AKI in multivariable models adjusted for donor risk index, Eutrotransplant marginal grafts, and balance of risk score. Prolonged hypothermic oxygenated perfusion confirmed its protective effect against AKI in a multivariable model adjusted for donor and recipient risk factors [OR: 0.412, 95% CI: 0.200-0.850, p = 0.016]. Prolonged DHOPE is widely used to improve transplant logistics, provides good results with high-risk grafts, and appears to be associated with a lower risk of posttransplant AKI. These results provide further insight into the important role of DHOPE in preventing posttransplant complications.

Donation after circulatory death (DCD) livers face increased risks of critical complications when preserved with static cold storage (SCS). Although machine perfusion (MP) may mitigate these risks, its cost and logistical complexity limit widespread application. We developed the Dynamic Organ Storage System (DOSS), which delivers oxygenated perfusate at 10°C with minimal electrical power requirement and allows real-time effluent sampling in a portable cooler. In a porcine DCD model, livers were preserved using DOSS or SCS for 10 hours and evaluated with 4 hours of normothermic MP, with n = 5 per group. After 4 hours of normothermic MP, the DOSS group demonstrated significantly lower perfusate lactate (p = 0.023), increased perfusate fibrinogen (p = 0.005), higher oxygen consumption (p = 0.018), greater bile production (p = 0.013), higher bile bicarbonate levels (p = 0.035) and bile/perfusate sodium ratio (p = 0.002), and lower hepatic arterial resistance after phenylephrine administration (p = 0.018). Histological analysis showed lower apoptotic markers in DOSS-preserved livers, with fewer cleaved caspase-3 (p = 0.039) and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick-end labeling (TUNEL; p = 0.009) positive cells. These findings suggest that DOSS can enhance DCD allograft function during transport, offering potential clinical benefits and contributing to the expansion of the donor pool.

In liver transplantation, donor livers are typically stored in a preservation solution at 4°C for up to 12 hours. However, this short preservation duration can lead to various issues, such as suboptimal donor-recipient matching and limited opportunities for organ sharing. Previous studies have developed a long-term preservation method called supercooling liver preservation (SLP) to address these issues. However, in this study using a rat model, we observed that long-term SLP led to more severe liver damage compared with clinically prevalent traditional static cold storage (SCS) for durations less than 8 hours. To understand the potential mechanism of SLP-induced liver injury, we conducted an integrative metabolomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic analysis. We identified the PDE3B-cAMP-autophagy pathway as a key determinant of SLP-induced liver injury. Specifically, we found that PDE3B was elevated during SLP, which promoted a reduction of cAMP metabolites, triggering an AMPK-dependent autophagy process that led to liver injury in rats. We found that blocking the reduction in cAMP using the PDE3B inhibitor cilostamide inhibited autophagy and substantially ameliorated liver injury during 48-hour SLP in rat livers. Furthermore, we validated the effectiveness of cilostamide treatment in preventing liver injury in pig and human liver 48-hour SLP models. In summary, our results reveal that metabolic reprogramming involving the PDE3B-cAMP-autophagy axis is the key determinant of liver injury in long-term SLP and provide an early therapeutic strategy to prevent liver injury in this setting.

Recent advances in machine perfusion have revolutionised the field of transplantation by prolonging preservation, permitting evaluation of viability prior to implant and rescue of discarded organs. Long-term perfusion for days-to-weeks provides time to modify these organs prior to transplantation. By using long-term normothermic machine perfusion to facilitate liver splitting and subsequent perfusion of both partial organs, possibilities even outside the clinical arena become possible. This model remains in its infancy but in the future, could allow for detailed study of liver injury and regeneration, and ex-situ treatment strategies such as defatting, genetic modulation and stem-cell therapies. Here we provide insight into this new model for research and highlight its great potential and current limitations.

To assess the impact of normothermic machine perfusion (NMP) on patients, medical teams, and costs by gathering global insights and exploring current limitations.

NMP for ex situ liver graft perfusion is gaining increasing attention for its capability to extend graft preservation. It has the potential to transform liver transplantation (LT) from an urgent to a purely elective procedure, which could revolutionize LT logistics, reduce burden on patients and health care providers, and decrease costs.

A 31-item survey was sent to international transplant directors to gather their NMP experiences and vision. In addition, we performed a systematic review on cost-analysis in LT and assessed studies on cost-benefit in converting urgent-to-elective procedures. We compared the costs of available NMPs and conducted a sensitivity analysis of NMP's cost benefits.

Of 120 transplant programs contacted, 64 (53%) responded, spanning North America (31%), Europe (42%), Asia (22%), and South America (5%). Of the total, 60% had adopted NMP, with larger centers (>100 transplants/year) in North America and Europe more likely to use it. The main NMP systems were OrganOx-metra (39%), XVIVO (36%), and TransMedics-OCS (15%). Despite NMP adoption, 41% of centers still perform >50% of LTs at nights/weekends. Centers recognized NMP's benefits, including improved work satisfaction and patient outcomes, but faced challenges like high costs and machine complexity. 16% would invest $100,000 to 500'000, 33% would invest $50,000 to 100'000, 38% would invest $10,000 to 50'000, and 14% would invest <$10,000 in NMP. These results were strengthened by a cost analysis for NMP in emergency-to-elective LT transition. Accordingly, while liver perfusions with disposables up to $10,000 resulted in overall positive net balances, this effect was lost when disposables' cost amounted to >$40,000/organ.

The adoption of NMP is hindered by high costs and operational complexity. Making LT elective through NMP could reduce costs and improve outcomes, but overcoming barriers requires national reimbursements and simplified, automated NMP systems for multiday preservation.

The demand for liver transplantation has led to the utilization of marginal grafts including moderately macrosteatotic livers (macrosteatosis ≥30% [Mas30]), which are associated with an elevated risk of graft failure. Machine perfusion (MP) has emerged as a technique for organ preservation and viability testing; however, little is known about MP in Mas30 livers. This study evaluates the utilization and outcomes of Mas30 livers in the era of MP.

The Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network database was queried to identify biopsy-proven Mas30 deceased donor liver grafts between June 1, 2016, and June 23, 2023. Univariable and multivariable models were constructed to study the association between MP and graft utilization and survival.

The final cohort with 3317 Mas30 livers was identified, of which 72 underwent MP and were compared with 3245 non-MP livers. Among Mas30 livers, 62 (MP) and 1832 (non-MP) were transplanted (utilization of 86.1% versus 56.4%, P  < 0.001). Donor and recipient characteristics were comparable between MP and non-MP groups. In adjusted analyses, MP was associated with significantly increased Mas30 graft utilization (odds ratio, 7.89; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.76-16.58; P  < 0.001). In log-rank tests, MP was not associated with 1- and 3-y graft failure (hazard ratio, 0.49; 95% CI, 0.12-1.99; P  = 0.319 and hazard ratio 0.43; 95% CI, 0.11-1.73; P  = 0.235, respectively).

The utilization rate of Mas30 grafts increases with MP without detriment to graft survival. This early experience may have implications for increasing the available donor pool of Mas30 livers.

Preservation techniques that maintain the viability of an organ graft between retrieval from the donor and implantation into the recipient remain a critical aspect of solid organ transplantation. While traditionally preservation is accomplished with static cold storage, advances in ex vivo dynamic machine perfusion, both hypothermic and normothermic, have allowed for prolongation of organ viability and recovery of marginal organs effectively increasing the usable donor pool. However, the use of these novel machine perfusion technologies likely exposes the recipient to additional infectious risk either through clonal expansion of pathogens derived during organ recovery or de novo exogenous acquisition of pathogens while the organ remains on the machine perfusion circuit. There is a paucity of high-quality studies that have attempted to quantify infection risk, although it appears that prolonging the time on the machine perfusion circuit and normothermic parameters increases the risk of infection. Conversely, the use of ex vivo machine perfusion unlocks new opportunities to detect and treat donor-derived infections before implantation into the recipient. This review seeks to reveal how the use of ex vivo machine perfusion strategies may augment the risk of infection in the organ recipient as well as outline ways that this technology could be leveraged to enhance our ability to manage donor-derived infections.

Normothermic machine perfusion (NMP) is used for preservation and assessment of human donor livers prior to transplantation. During NMP, the liver is metabolically active, which allows detailed studies on the physiology of human livers.

To study the production of hemostatic proteins in human donor livers during NMP for up to 7 days.

In this observational study, 9 livers underwent NMP for up to 7 days with a heparinized perfusate based on red blood cells and colloids using a modified Liver Assist device (XVIVO). Perfusate samples were collected before NMP and daily thereafter for measurement of antigen and activity levels of a comprehensive panel of hemostatic proteins after heparin neutralization.

Within 1 day, perfusate samples displayed the potential for coagulation activation as evidenced by international normalized ratio and activated partial thromboplastin assays. This was accompanied by detection of substantial quantities of functionally active coagulation proteins and inhibitors, although the specific activity of many proteins was decreased, compared with that in normal plasma. Perfusate levels of hemostatic proteins increased in the first days, reaching a stable level after 3 to 4 days of perfusion.

During long-term NMP of human livers, functionally active hemostatic proteins are released into the perfusate in substantial quantities, but some proteins appear to have decreased functional properties compared with proteins in normal human plasma. We propose that NMP may be used as a platform to test efficacy of drugs that stimulate or inhibit the production of coagulation factors or to test liver-mediated clearance of prohemostatic protein therapeutics.

Normothermic machine perfusion (NMP) is gradually being introduced into clinical transplantation to improve the quality of organs and increase utilisation. This review details current understanding of the underlying mechanistic effects of NMP in the heart, lung, liver, and kidney. It also considers recent advancements to extend the perfusion interval in these organs and the use of NMP to introduce novel therapeutic interventions, with a focus on organ modulation.

The re-establishment of circulation during NMP leads to the upregulation of inflammatory and immune mediators, similar to an ischaemia-reperfusion injury response. The level of injury is determined by the condition of the organ, but inflammation may also be exacerbated by the passenger leucocytes that emerge from the organ during perfusion. There is evidence that damaged organs can recover and that prolonged NMP may be advantageous. In the liver, successful 7-day NMP has been achieved. The delivery of therapeutic agents to an organ can aid repair and be used to modify the organ to reduce immunogenicity or change the structure of the blood group antigens to create a universal donor blood group organ.

The application of NMP in organ transplantation is a growing area of research and is increasingly being used in the clinic. In the future, NMP may offer the opportunity to change practice. If organs can be preserved for days on an NMP system, transplantation may become an elective rather than an emergency procedure. The ability to introduce therapies during NMP is an effective way to treat an organ and avoid the complexity of treating the recipient.

Preserving organs at subzero temperatures with halted metabolic activity holds the potential to prolong preservation and expand the donor organ pool for transplant. Our group recently introduced partial freezing, a novel approach in high-subzero storage at -15 °C, enabling 5-day storage of rodent livers through precise control over ice nucleation and unfrozen fraction. However, increased vascular resistance and tissue edema suggested a need for improvements to extend viable preservation. Here, we describe an optimized partial freezing protocol with key optimizations, including an increased concentration of polyethylene glycol (PEG) to enhance membrane stability while minimizing shear stress during cryoprotectant unloading with an acclimation period and a maintained osmotic balance through an increase in bovine serum albumin (BSA). These approaches ensured the viability during preservation and recovery processes, promoting liver function and ensuring optimal preservation. This was evidenced by increased oxygen consumption, decreased vascular resistance, and edema. Ultimately, we show that using the optimized protocol, livers can be stored for 10 days with comparable vascular resistance and lactate levels to 5 days, outperforming the viability of time-matched static cold stored (SCS) livers as the current gold standard. This study represents a significant advancement in expanding organ availability through prolonged preservation, thereby revolutionizing transplant medicine.