Minimal dose of cyclosporin A for tracheal allografts.
BACKGROUND
Minimizing immunosuppression after allotransplantation is desirable.


METHODS
We assessed the minimal dose of cyclosporin A for viable tracheal allografts in 50 dogs. Each tracheal transplant, consisting of a six-ring segment of cervical trachea, was harvested and heterotopically implanted into the omentum. In group I (n = 10), transplantation into each dog's own omentum was performed as a control. The remaining 40 tracheal segments were randomly assigned to four recipient groups receiving either no treatment (group II, n = 10), 10 mg.kg-1.day-1 of cyclosporin A (group III, n = 10), 15 mg.kg-1.day-1 of cyclosporin A (group IV, n = 10), or 20 mg.kg-1.day-1 of cyclosporin A (group V, n = 10). After 10 or 28 days, the tracheal segments were evaluated histologically.


RESULTS
Epithelial regeneration in group IV was significantly better than that in groups I, II, or III on posttransplantation day 10. Only group IV showed no difference in epithelial viability from group I on posttransplantation day 28. In terms of vascularity, groups IV and V exhibited no differences from group I as evidenced by vascular endothelial morphology.


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that an appropriate dose of 15 mg.kg-1.day-1 of cyclosporin A may be used to maintain tracheal allograft viability.
Nakanishi
R
R
Second Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Japan.
Yasumoto
K
K
D000818:Animals; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000473:pathology; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004285:Dogs; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000473:pathology; D004848:Epithelium / Q000473:pathology; D006085:Graft Survival; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000473:pathology; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000473:pathology; D009852:Omentum; D012038:Regeneration; D013997:Time Factors; D014132:Trachea / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology / Q000637:transplantation*; D014133:Tracheal Diseases / Q000473:pathology; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous; D016042:Transplantation, Heterotopic; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
D016572:Cyclosporine