title: Prolonged survival of rat skin allograft by treatment with FK506 ointment.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We studied the effect of FK506 ointment on rat skin allograft survival.
  
  
  METHODS
  Lewis rat (RT1(1)) skin allografts were histologically evaluated on day 7 after transplantation to recipient ACI (RT1a) rats. We set histological gradings for rejection as follows: grade 1, intraepidermal blister formation; grade 2, incomplete epidermal separation from the dermis; and grade 3, complete epidermal separation from the epidermis. According to these histological criteria, the immunosuppressive effect of FK506 ointment was assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our data indicated that all recipient rats without FK506 ointment showed grade 3 rejection on day 7 after transplantation. In contrast, the allografts treated with FK506 ointment showed grade 1 rejection. Furthermore the blood concentration of FK506 was below 0.5 ng/ml, minimizing the systemically adverse effects of FK506.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Thus, the present study suggests that the topical administration of FK506 on the skin allografts may be useful and effective in the suppression of skin allograft rejection.
authors.affiliation: Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fujita
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yagihashi
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jimbow
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sato
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D009824:Ointments; D010919:Placebos; D051381:Rats; D011912:Rats, Inbred ACI; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D016038:Skin Transplantation / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D016559:Tacrolimus / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013997:Time Factors; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D009824:Ointments; D010919:Placebos; D016559:Tacrolimus