Application of modified two-cuff technique and multiglycosides tripterygium wilfordii in hamster-to-rat liver xenotransplant model.
OBJECTIVE
To modify the hamster-to-rat liver xenotransplant technique to prevent postoperative complications, and to study the inhibiting effect of multiglycosides tripterygium wilfordii (T(II)) on immune rejection.


METHODS
Female golden hamsters and inbred male Wistar rats were used as donors and recipients, respectively. One hundred and twelve orthotopic liver xenotransplants were performed by Kamada's cuff technique with modifications. Over 72 hour survival of the animal after operation was considered as a successful operation. When the established surgical model became stable, 30 of the latest 42 cases were divided into untreated control group (n=15) and T(II) group (n=15) at random. Survival of recipients was observed. Liver specimens were collected at 2 and 72 h from the operated animals and postmortem, respectively, for histological study.


RESULTS
The successfully operative rate of the 30 operations was 80 %, and the survival of the control and T(II) group was 7.1+/-0.35 was days and 7.2+/-0.52 days, respectively (t=0.087,P=0.931). The rate of conjunctival hyperemia in control group (100 %) differed significantly from that (31 %) in T(II) group (P=0.001). Rejection did not occur in both groups within 2 h postoperatively, but became obvious in control group at 72 h after surgery and mild in T(II) group. Although rejections were obvious in both groups at death of recipients, it was less severe in T(II) group than in control group.


CONCLUSIONS
This modified Kamada's technique can be used to establish a stable hamster-to-rat liver xenotransplant model. Monotherapy with multiglycosides tripteryguiumwilfordii (30 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1)) suppresses the rejection mildly, but fails to prolong survival of recipients.
Guo
Hua
H
Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Medical College of Zhejiang University, 79 Qingchun Lu, Hangzhou 310003, Zhejiang Province, China. ggghua@mail.hz.zj.cn
Wu
Yi-Jun
YJ
Zheng
Shu-Sen
SS
Wang
Wei-Lin
WL
Yu
Jun
J
D000818:Animals; D003228:Conjunctiva; D006224:Cricetinae; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control; D006940:Hyperemia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008647:Mesocricetus; D023421:Models, Animal; D028321:Plant Preparations / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D015996:Survival Rate; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous / Q000379:methods*; D029757:Tripterygium
D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D028321:Plant Preparations