title: Generation of donor hematolymphoid cells after rat-limb composite grafting.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Composite tissue allografts are unique because they provide the vascularized bone marrow with stroma, which is the supportive microenvironment. In this study, we investigated the beneficial effect of donor-derived bone marrow cells within the long-surviving recipient rats after limb transplantation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Green fluorescent protein (GFP) transgenic rats developed for paramount cell marking were donors, and wild Wistar rats were recipients. Orthotopic hind-limb transplantation was performed using a microsurgical technique. Tacrolimus (1.0 mg/kg) was intramuscularly injected for 14 days postoperatively. The skin graft from GFP donor onto the GFP recipient was performed as a control. Flow cytometric analyses of recipient peripheral blood and bone marrow were carried out at 4 to 6 days, 18 to 21 days, 6 weeks, and 2, 4, 6, 9, and 12 months after transplantation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The rats that received tacrolimus therapy achieved prolonged composite graft acceptance more than 12 months, whereas GFP skin grafts were rejected at 47 days under the same immunosuppressive protocol. Numerous GFP lymphocytes and granulocytes were detected within the recipient bone marrow for the first 6 weeks post limb transplantation. These cells remained relatively stable for more than 12 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results showed that donor-derived hematopoietic stem cells engrafted in recipient bone marrow and differentiated to lymphocytes and granulocytes after limb transplantation. The vascularized bone marrow, transplanted as a part of the hind limb, could have contributed to mixed chimerism and worked as the bone-marrow source in the recipients.
authors.affiliation: Center for Molecular Medicine, Jichi Medical School, Tochigi, Japan.
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ajiki
authors.forename: Masafumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Seiichiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: Yasunaru
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sakuma
authors.forename: Shigetaka
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Oyama
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kaneko
authors.forename: Yoji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hakamata
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Murakami
authors.forename: Akihiro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kume
authors.forename: Yusei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kariya
authors.forename: Yuichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hoshino
authors.forename: Eiji
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified / Q000235:genetics; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000473:pathology; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D002678:Chimera; D015870:Gene Expression; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D006098:Granulocytes / Q000473:pathology; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006614:Hindlimb / Q000637:transplantation*; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D008164:Luminescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D016038:Skin Transplantation; D016559:Tacrolimus / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014019:Tissue Donors
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D016559:Tacrolimus