NOVEL NON-HEART-BEATING DONOR KIDNEY STORAGE MEDIUM

Donor kidney cannot meet current demand for kidney transplantation, the most effective for end stage renal failure. Non-heart-beating (NHB) donor kidneys are under-utilized because current technology does not allow NHB donor organs to withstand unavoidable extended periods of warm and cold ischemia. Chen Medium (CM), a novel physiological preservation solution, is highly effective for human donor cornea storage and preservation. CM contains beta-hydroxybutyrate, a unique non- lactate-generating high-energy metabolite that enables tissues to generate high levels of ATP while suppressing intracellular acidosis. NHB donor organs undergo unique metabolic compromise, many aspects of which could be prevented by nicotinamide. Nicotinamide, an NAD+ precursor that is safe for humans, is idea for MHB donor organ preservation because it scavenges free radicals, preserves NDA+ levels through inhibition of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-mediated NAD+ catabolism, and inhibits both inducible nitric oxide synthase and expression of leukocyte-attracting molecules on human endothelial cells after injury. We propose to use physiological, biochemical and histological criteria with the isolated perfused pig kidney model to demonstrate that CM with nicotinamide is superior to UW and EC solutions for NHB donor organ preservation. Our aim is to advance transplant technology to allow effective utilization of under-utilized NHD donor organs.