Mitochondria as Therapeutic Targets in Transplantation

Advances in surgical procedures, technology, and immune suppression have transformed organ transplantation. However, the metabolic changes that occur during organ retrieval, storage, and implantation have been relatively neglected since the developments many decades ago of cold storage organ preservation solutions. In this review we discuss how the metabolic changes that occur within the organ during transplantation, particularly those associated with mitochondria, may contribute to the outcome. We show how a better understanding of these processes can lead to changes in surgical practice and the development of new drug classes to improve the function and longevity of transplanted grafts, while increasing the pool of organs available for transplantation.

Automated summary

Advancements in surgical techniques, technology, and immune suppression have revolutionized organ transplantation, however, the metabolic changes during transplantation have been overlooked. Understanding the metabolic changes, especially those associated with mitochondria, could lead to improvements in transplanted grafts' function and longevity, ultimately increasing the pool of available organs for transplantation.