IMPACT OF IMMUNOADSORPTION ON COMPLEMENT ACTIVATION, IMMUNOPATHOLOGY, AND HEPATIC PERFUSION DURING XENOGENEIC PIG LIVER PERFUSION1

Background. The impact of antibody adsorption by immunoapheresis on liver damage, complement activation, and hepatic perfusion was evaluated against the background of an application in extracorporeal pig liver perfusion for hepatic coma. Methods. Eighteen pig livers were ex vivo perfused close to physiological conditions with fresh human blood for 4 hr. The influence of the perfusion circuit was investigated by perfusions of the circuit in the absence of livers (group 1 [G1]; n=5). Livers were xenoperfused without modifications in group 2 (G2; n=6). In group 3 (G3; n=6), pure Sepharose columns were used prior to liver perfusion. Immunoapheresis with Ig-Therasorb 100 columns was used in group 4 (G4; n=6). Results. IgG was reduced by 95%, IgM by 72%, and IgA by 82% in G4, but only by about 30% in G3 (P