OPTIMAL TEMPERATURE IN SHORT-TERM HYPOTHERMIC PRESERVATION OF RAT PANCREAS

Rat pancreases were hypothermically preserved for 24 hr in University of Wisconsin preservation solution at specific temperatures (4, 7, 10, and 15-degrees-C) to evaluate the effect of preservation temperature on islet yield and islet function. Following hypothermic storage, the loss of recoverable islets was highest in the 15-degrees-C-preservation group, followed by that of the 4-degrees-C group and significantly less in the 7 and 10-degrees-C groups (p < 0.05). Islet function, as measured by insulin output following glucose challenge in perifusion, was reduced (p < 0.0001) in all preservation groups. The mean insulin secretion rate was lowest in the 4-degrees-C group, highest in the 7-degrees-C group, and intermediate in the 10-degrees-C group. The islet preservation index, a parameter taking into consideration both islet yield and islet function after preservation, was more than double in the 7 and 10-degrees-C preservation groups as compared to the 4-degrees-C group (p < 0.0001). This study shows that significant improvement in islet yield and function occurs when the rat pancreas was preserved at 7-10-degrees-C rather than at 4-degrees-C.