title: Function of inflammatory cells and neoral cyclosporin-A in heart transplant-associated coronary vasculopathy.
abstract: The role of Sandimmun Neoral (S-n) and the immune response in transplant-associated coronary vasculopathy (TACV) was evaluated in a Lewis (Lew)-to-Fischer-344 (F344) rat abdominal heterotopic heart transplant model. Some of the transplant recipients were treated with S-n (5mg/kg/day) for 14 days post-transplant, or until sacrifice. Grafts were subjected to immunohistochemical (ED1, CD4, CD8 and alpha-actin+ cells) analysis from day 7 to 100 post-transplant. Singenic controls did not develop TACV, irrespective of whether they had received the drug or not. TACV was detected in Lew-F344 transplants regardless of S-n administration with participation of ED1+, CD8+ and alpha-actin+ cells, although its incidence was lower in animals receiving prolonged S-n treatment. In this model, accelerated arteriosclerosis of the graft appeared to be related more to the rejection effect than to the action of the immunosuppressive agent.
authors.affiliation: Department of Morphological Sciences and Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain. mjulia.bujan@uah.es
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Buján
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Jurado
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Gimeno
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rodriguez
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Bellón
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004655:Emulsions; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007249:Inflammation / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D004655:Emulsions; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016572:Cyclosporine