Effect of captopril treatment on allograft survival and induction of unresponsiveness in heart-transplanted, ATG-treated rats.
The angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor captopril has been suggested to have an immunomodulatory effect both in clinical and experimental studies. To further investigate this possible effect in organ transplantation, captopril was given to inbred rats before transplantation of an allogeneic heart. Captopril was found to prolong graft survival significantly compared to untreated controls. In rats treated with a tolerogenic dose of ATG, additional captopril administration tended to increase the proportion of rats with long-term functioning grafts, but this did not reach statistical significance. It is concluded that captopril displays an immunosuppressive effect that seems to be weak, since no augmentation of ATG-induced transplantation unresponsiveness was seen.
Olausson
M
M
Department of Surgery (Transplantation Unit), Sahlgrenska sjukhuset, Göteborg, Sweden.
Mjörnstedt
L
L
Wramner
L
L
Herlitz
H
H
D000818:Animals; D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002216:Captopril / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000187:drug effects*; D016027:Heart Transplantation; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum; D002216:Captopril