title: Allogeneic fetal intestinal transplantation with FK506 immunosuppression.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Small intestinal transplantation remains a significant clinical problem. Allogeneic fetal intestinal (AFI) transplantation shows promise, particularly regarding procurement; however, no studiesto date have evaluated the potential success of true allogeneic loci implantation. The authors hypothesized that isolated segments of AFI could be heterotopically transplanted but would require immunosuppression to survive.
  
  
  METHODS
  Donor tissue was obtained from late-gestation Brown Norway rat fetuses with a histo-locus RTN and Fischer fetuses with a histo-locus RT1L. The recipients were adolescent male Fischer rats with a histo-locus RT1L. A 1.2-cm segment of fetal small bowel was implanted in the omentum of the recipient rat and allowed to mature for 5 weeks. Animals were then separated into five groups. Group A served as controls with syngeneic fetal intestinal (SFI) transplant. Group B received AFI with no immunosuppression; group C, AFI transplant with five days of FK506; group D, AFI with 10 days of FK506; and Group E, AFI with daily FK506 for the entire 5-week maturation period. Animals were killed on day 35.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All animals gained weight over the maturation period. Groups B, C, and D had no viable transplant segments at day 35. Groups A and E both had well-developed viable segments confirmed by gross and histological evaluation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  FK506 allows for normal intestinal development for use in allogeneic fetal bowel transplantation. With this observation, the use of fetal intestine transplanted into the portal circulation emerges as a potentially viable alternative to present intestinal transplant models.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Surgery, University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington 05405, USA.
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: McBride
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Sartorelli
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Vane
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016332:Fetal Tissue Transplantation; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000196:embryology / Q000637:transplantation*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011914:Rats, Inbred BN; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D016559:Tacrolimus / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016559:Tacrolimus