Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) as a downstaging or bridging therapy for liver transplantation (LT) in hepatocellular carcinoma patients are rapidly increasing. However, the evidence about the feasibility and safety of pre-LT ICI therapy is limited and controversial. To this end, a multicenter, retrospective cohort study was conducted in 11 Chinese centers. The results showed that 83 recipients received pre-LT ICI therapy during the study period. The median post-LT follow-up was 8.1 (interquartile range 3.3-14.6) months. During the short follow-up, 23 (27.7%) recipients developed allograft rejection, and 7 of them (30.4%) were diagnosed by liver biopsy. Multivariate logistics regression analysis showed that the time interval between the last administration of ICI therapy and LT (TLAT) ≥ 30 days was an independent protective factor for allograft rejection (odds ratio = 0.096, 95% confidence interval 0.026-0.357; P < .001). Multivariate Cox analysis showed that allograft rejection was an independent risk factor for overall survival (hazard ratio = 9.960, 95% confidence interval 1.006-98.610; P = .043). We conclude that patients who receive a pre-LT ICI therapy with a TLAT shorter than 30 days have a much higher risk of allograft rejection than those with a TLAT longer than 30 days. The presence of rejection episodes might be associated with higher post-LT mortality.

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a syndrome in which acute liver failure with extrahepatic organ failure occurs on chronic liver disease. Recently, liver transplantation is the only effective treatment for ACLF. There is still room for discussion on the optimal surgery timing for ACLF, perioperative infection prevention and control, and maintenance of nutrition and organ function. The Transplantation Immunology Committee of Branch of Organ Transplantation Physician of Chinese Medical Doctor Association and Enhanced Recovery of Liver Transplantation Group of Enhanced Recovery after Surgery Committee of Chinese Research Hospital Association invited relevant experts to discuss the perioperative management of ACLF liver transplantation in areas including surgery timing, organ protection, nutritional support, infection prevention and control, rehabilitation exercises, regulation of the internal environment, etc. An expert consensus was developed as reference for clinicians. (c) 2021 The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University. Publishing Services by Elsevier B. V. on behalf of KeAi Communications Co., Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

There is a dearth of effective parameters for selecting potentially transplantable liver grafts from expanded-criteria donors. In this study, we used a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) relaxation analyzer-based assay to assess the viability of ex vivo livers obtained via porcine donation after circulatory death (DCD). Ex situ normothermic machine perfusion (NMP) was utilized as a platform for viability test of porcine DCD donor livers. A liver-targeted contrast agent, gadolinium ethoxybenzyl diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (Gd-EOB-DTPA), was injected into the perfusate during NMP, and the dynamic biliary excretion of the Gd-EOB-DTPA was monitored by measuring the longitudinal relaxation time (T1). The longitudinal relaxation rate (R1) of the bile was served as a parameter. The delay of increase in biliary R1 during early stage of NMP indicated the impaired function of liver grafts in both warm and cold ischemia injury, which was correlated with the change of alanine aminotransferase. The preservative superiority in cold ischemia of dual hypothermic oxygenated machine perfusion could also be verified by assessing biliary R1 and other biochemical parameters. This study allows for the dynamic assessment of the viability of porcine DCD donor livers by combined usage of ex situ NMP and NMR relaxation time based assay, which lays a foundation for further clinical application.

Objective:To explore the clinical evaluation outcomes of COVID-19 risk assessment scale on organ donation and procurement during the pandemic of novel coronavirus pneumonia (NCP) and reduce the incidence of donor-derived infection and medical staff infection.Methods:From January 20 to February 29 in 2020, the organ procurement team adopted the COVID-19 risk assessment scale for evaluating 8 potential donors. They were classified into the levels of high/low/uncertain risk by analyzing the risk levels of donation hospitals, clinical characteristics and exposure history. The coordinators, organ evaluators and ward medical staff adopted essential protective measures. The infection status of 2019-nCoV in the above mentioned staff was examined and graft function in the corresponding recipients were observed.Results:Based upon the COVID-19 risk assessment results, the risk level was high (n=8), low (n=5) and uncertain (n=2) and underwent organ procurement. A total of 19 grafts including liver, kidney, pancreas and heart were harvested and successfully utilized for organ transplantation. During the observation period of 14 days, there was no suspected or confirmed infection of 2019-nCoV among coordinators and medical staff. No graft dysfunction or acute rejection was observed during a follow-up period of 4 to 30 days. No recipient was suspected or confirmed to be infected with 2019-nCoV and 6 of them were negative for 2019-nCoV nucleic acid testing after organ transplantation.Conclusions:During the COVID-19 pandemic, it is safe to proceed with donor organ evaluations and procurements according to the result with the COVID-19 risk assessment scale. Low-risk donor organ donation may be carried out, uncertain risk donor organ donation should be performed cautiously and high-risk donations discouraged.

Background To investigate the application of the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) for the in vitro reconstruction of the hepatic artery for liver transplantation, and to improve the success rate and safety of donor liver transplantation. Methods The donor liver and the pancreas were obtained, and the SMA and its branches were used to reconstruct the hepatic artery. Liver transplantation was performed after reconstruction to understand the intraoperative situation after donor liver opening, as well as postoperative liver function. Color Doppler ultrasound of the transplanted liver was also performed. Results During the period from September 2016 to March 2020, a total of 98 pancreases were obtained. The common hepatic artery and gastroduodenal artery loop (CHA-GDA) were preserved to the donor pancreas, and only the proper hepatic artery (PHA) or left/right hepatic artery (LHA/RHA) were preserved to the donor liver. If the PHA of the donor liver was short or absent, the SMA was used for lengthening the PHA or in vitro reconstruction of the LHA/RHA, followed by implantation of the donor liver after reconstruction. A total of 17 cases of this type of donor liver required mesenteric artery lengthening or reconstruction. After opening, the donor liver was well-filled, bile secretion was normal, and liver function recovered as scheduled after surgery. Color Doppler ultrasound and CT angiography (CTA) of the transplanted liver revealed that hepatic arteries were normal without complications such as hepatic artery embolism. Conclusions In vitro reconstruction of the hepatic artery with the SMA is an effective new method of vascular reconstruction, which ensures the blood flow of the hepatic artery, reduces the anastomosis difficulty of the arteries of the donor liver, and reduces the occurrence of vascular complications.

BACKGROUND Liver failure after resection for liver cancer is associated with increased patient mortality. This study aimed to investigate the mechanism of the protective effects of resveratrol, a natural plant-derived compound, on liver injury in a rat model of partial hepatectomy. MATERIAL AND METHODS Adult male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats (n=60) were divided into the sham group (n=20), the liver resection group (n=20), and the liver resection plus resveratrol-treated group (n=20). Liver resection removed 2/3 of the liver resection; resveratrol was given at a dose of 30 mg/kg/day from one week before surgery until death. Liver injury was assessed by serum liver function tests, including alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), γ-glutamyl-transferase (γ-GT) and total bilirubin, histological examination of the rat liver, and liver cell apoptosis using the TUNEL assay. High mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) expression was measured by enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA). Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) and acetylated HMGB1 (Ac-HMGB1) expression were detected by Western blot. Normal human liver cells and HepG2 liver cancer cells were incubated with acetylated HMGB1, and albumin production and ammonia elimination assays were performed. RESULTS Resveratrol reduced postoperative liver injury as shown by reduced ALT, AST, γ-GT, and total bilirubin levels, maintained liver structure, and reduced cell apoptosis. Resveratrol treatment reduced the expression and acetylation levels of HMGB1 via the SIRT1 signaling pathway. Resveratrol reversed Ac-HMGB1 induced dysfunction in liver cells cultured in vitro. CONCLUSIONS Resveratrol reduced liver damage after liver resection in a rat model by upregulating SIRT1 and reducing the acetylation of HMGB1.