A Proof of Concept for Liver Graft Modification Using Warm Ex Vivo Perfusion – “It Is Not Just About Rescuing Marginal Grafts”.
Toronto General Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
Meeting: 2017 American Transplant Congress
Abstract number: 212
Keywords: Liver preservation
Session Information
Session Name: Concurrent Session: Emerging Interventions in Ischemia Reperfusion Injury
Session Type: Concurrent Session
Date: Monday, May 1, 2017
Session Time: 2:30pm-4:00pm
Presentation Time: 2:30pm-2:42pm
Location: E351
Background: The active metabolism during normothermic ex vivo liver perfusion (NEVLP) offers a new opportunity to use the preservation time for graft modification and repair strategies. One possible strategy, as “proof of concept”, is the induction of resistance against infection Hepatitis C virus (HCV). HCV replication is dependent on the presence of miRNA-122. Miravirsen, a locked-nucleic acid oligonucleotide, sequesters miR-122 and inhibits HCV replication.
Methods: Pig livers were treated with miravirsen during NEVLP or cold storage (CS) and miravirsen absorption, miR-122 sequestration and miR-122 target gene derepression were assessed before and after LT.
Results: In vitro data confirmed miravirsen suppression of HCV replication after established infection and prevented HCV infection with pre-treatment of cells, analogous to the pre-treatment of grafts in the transplant setting. NEVLP improved miravirsen uptake compared to CS 
Significant miR-122 sequestration (p<0.05) and miR-122 target gene derepression (p<0.01) were seen with NEVLP but not with CS prior to pig LT. 
Conclusion: NEVLP provides a novel platform for graft modification, such as inducing resistance against HCV infection, using nucleic acid oligonucleotide.
CITATION INFORMATION: Goldaracena N, Echeverri J, Selzner N, Grant D, Feld J, Selzner M. A Proof of Concept for Liver Graft Modification Using Warm Ex Vivo Perfusion – “It Is Not Just About Rescuing Marginal Grafts”. Am J Transplant. 2017;17 (suppl 3).
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
Goldaracena N, Echeverri J, Selzner N, Grant D, Feld J, Selzner M. A Proof of Concept for Liver Graft Modification Using Warm Ex Vivo Perfusion – “It Is Not Just About Rescuing Marginal Grafts”. [abstract]. Am J Transplant. 2017; 17 (suppl 3). https://atcmeetingabstracts.com/abstract/a-proof-of-concept-for-liver-graft-modification-using-warm-ex-vivo-perfusion-it-is-not-just-about-rescuing-marginal-grafts/. Accessed May 25, 2025.« Back to 2017 American Transplant Congress