Energetic status and viability of porcine kidney cells after hypoxic, hypothermic preservation in UW solution and subsequent reoxygenation: the influence of taurine

Abstract

Taurine (2-aminoethane sulfonic acid) is a physiologic compound with osmoregulative properties and presumbly an inhibitor of lipid peroxidation. The present study evaluates the effects on the viability of isolated kidney cells of the addition of various doses of taurine to the UW preservation solution. Porcine tubular cell monolayers were incubated at 4°C for 9 h in UW solution under hypoxic conditions, and subsequently reoxygenated for 30 min in Hank's balanced salt solution equilibrated with room air. Taurine was added to the preservation solution at final concentrations of 0, 1, 10 ot 20 mmol/1. Cel viability was assessed by exclusion on Trypan blue and by determination of the energetic status reoxygenation. While tuarine had no influence on the post-hypoxic vaibility according to Trypan blue exclusion, a dose-related increases in cellular content of high energy phosphates after post-hypoxic reoxygenation was observed after addition of taurine to the preservation medium. It is concluded that taurine is able to reduce tissue alterations during hypoxia and reoxygenation and that the determination of post-hypoxic recovery of energy metabolism may be a more sensitive indicator of cell viability than the morphological Trypan blue exclusion test.