Simultaneous transplantation of isolated hepatocytes reduces rejection of small bowel allografts and improves survival in the rat.
Hepatocytes transplanted some days prior to vascularized allografts were shown to have the potential to prolong allograft survival in the rat. In the present study, hepatocytes and small bowel allografts were transplanted simultaneously in a Lewis (donor)-Brown Norway (recipient) rat model. 8-15 x 10(6) liver cells were injected into the spleen of small bowel recipients. The administration of at least 10 mg cyclosporine A (CyA)/kg over 3 days was necessary to prevent early rejection of hepatocytes. In groups simultaneously receiving hepatocytes, small bowel grafts and 10 mg CyA/kg over 3 days, a significant mitigation of rejection and a prolongation of survival was achieved, compared to groups receiving solely small bowel grafts and 10 mg CyA/kg over 3 days. We conclude that simultaneously transplanted hepatocytes exert a protective effect on a grafted organ from the same donor, provided that early rejection of hepatocytes is prevented by sufficient immunosuppression.
Sandbichler
P
P
Department of Transplant Surgery, University Hospital of Innsbruck, Austria.
Erhart
R
R
Herbst
P
P
Schmid
T
T
Vogel
W
W
Thaler
W
W
Tötsch
M
M
Klima
G
G
Margreiter
R
R
D000818:Animals; D002469:Cell Separation; D017690:Cell Transplantation; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000637:transplantation*; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology*; D008297:Male; D009336:Necrosis; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous