Portal venous ultraviolet B-irradiated donor alloantigen prevents rejection in circumferential rat tracheal allografts.
BACKGROUND
Before tracheal transplantation can be considered as a method of reconstruction in patients with extensive circumferential tracheal defects, we must achieve a state of nontoxic, donor-specific tolerance so that the risks of such a transplant do not outweigh the benefits.


OBJECTIVE
Our objective was to determine whether a single intraportal injection of modified donor alloantigen achieves donor-specific immunosuppression for major histocompatibility complex-mismatched rat tracheal allografts.


METHODS
Buffalo (recipient) rats were pretreated with either a single portal-vein administration of ultraviolet B (UVB)-irradiated donor splenocytes (n = 4) or an intraportal inoculation of nonirradiated donor splenocytes (n = 4). Major histocompatibility complex-mismatched Lewis (donor) tracheal allograft segments were then grafted into treatment groups 7 days after donor-cell pretreatment. Tracheal rejection was assessed by histologic analysis, mucosal cilia motility, and in vitro immunologic assessment.


RESULTS
The UVB-treated group demonstrated no acute or chronic rejection as well as complete functional recovery. In vitro immunologic assessment demonstrated a donor-specific hyporesponsiveness and donor allospecificity. Untreated animals and those receiving nonirradiated donor splenocytes showed acute rejection of their tracheal allografts.


CONCLUSIONS
Recipient pretreatment with intraportally administered UVB-irradiated donor splenocytes prevents rejection of circumferential rat tracheal allograft segments by inducing a donor-specific immune hyporesponsiveness.
Genden
E M
EM
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA. eric.genden@mssm.edu
Mackinnon
S E
SE
Yu
S
S
Hunter
D A
DA
Flye
M W
MW
D000818:Animals; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D007519:Isoantigens / Q000528:radiation effects*; D008285:Major Histocompatibility Complex; D023421:Models, Animal; D009079:Mucociliary Clearance; D011169:Portal Vein; D051381:Rats; D011914:Rats, Inbred BN; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology; D014132:Trachea / Q000637:transplantation*; D023001:Transplantation Tolerance / Q000528:radiation effects*; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
D007519:Isoantigens