Hypothermic oxygenated machine perfusion (HOPE) can enhance organ preservation and protect mitochondria from hypoxia-ischemic injury; however, an understanding of the underlying HOPE mechanism that protects mitochondria is somewhat lacking. We hypothesized that mitophagy may play an important role in HOPE mitochondria protection. Experimental rat liver grafts were exposed to 30 min of in situ warm ischemia. Then, grafts were procured, followed by cold storage for 3 or 4 h to mimic the conventional preservation and transportation time in donation after circulatory death (DCD) in clinical contexts. Next, the grafts underwent hypothermic machine perfusion (HMP) or HOPE for 1 h through portal vein only perfusion. The HOPE-treated group showed a better preservation capacity compared with cold storage and HMP, preventing hepatocyte damage, nuclear injury, and cell death. HOPE can increase mitophagy marker expression, promote mitophagy flux via the PINK1/Parkin pathway to maintain mitochondrial function, and reduce oxygen free radical generation, while the inhibition of autophagy by 3-methyladenine and chloroquine could reverse the protective effect. HOPE-treated DCD liver also demonstrated more changes in the expression of genes responsible for bile metabolism, mitochondrial dynamics, cell survival, and oxidative stress. Overall, HOPE attenuates hypoxia-ischemic injury in DCD liver by promoting mitophagy flux to maintain mitochondrial function and protect hepatocytes. Mitophagy could pave the way for a protective approach against hypoxia-ischemic injury in DCD liver.
Keywords: DCD liver; HOPE; hypoxia-ischemic injury; mitophagy; organ protection.