title: Suppression of corneal graft rejection by subconjunctival injection of FK-506 in a rat model of penetrating keratoplasty.
abstract: The usefulness of the subconjunctival injection of FK-506 for suppression of allograft rejection was investigated in a rat model of orthotopic penetrating keratoplasty. Fischer rats were used as donors and Dark Agouti rats, as recipients. FK-506 was administered subconjunctivally in a dosage of 0.3 mg/kg/day for 15 consecutive days after penetrating keratoplasty was performed. Allograft rejection occurred within 8 to 10 days after keratoplasty in all untreated rats (n = 6). None of the FK-506-treated rats (n = 6) exhibited graft rejection during the 3-week observation period. Histologic examination showed marked infiltration of mononuclear cells in the stroma of corneal grafts from untreated rats 3 weeks after grafting. Inflammatory cells were only occasionally observed in grafts from FK-506-treated rats. Donor-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte activity was completely suppressed in FK-506-treated rats 3 weeks after grafting. Our results indicated that subconjunctival injection of FK-506 effectively prevented corneal allograft rejection in a rat model of penetrating keratoplasty.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Hiroshima University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Minamoto
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sakata
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Okada
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fujihara
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000187:drug effects*; D003315:Cornea / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic / Q000187:drug effects; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007267:Injections; D015948:Keratoplasty, Penetrating; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology; D016559:Tacrolimus / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
chemical_list: D016559:Tacrolimus