Pyroptosis of Passenger Leukocytes Negatively Impacts the Quality of Lung Grafts During Ex Vivo Lung Perfusion

In a previous report, we demonstrated that circulating leukocytes released from lung grafts during ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP) had detrimental effects on the quality of lungs which could be better protected by using leukocyte filter (LF). The purpose of this study is to demonstrate that pyroptosis of passenger leukocytes plays a key role in these effects and that LF contributes to better control pyroptotic cells in lung grafts during EVLP. Pyroptosis is another programmed cell death mechanism via Caspase-1 pathway.