Ipsilateral submandibular lymphadenectomy does not prolong orthotopic corneal graft survival in mice.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the impact of selective lymphadenectomy on the outflow from the outer eye and corneal graft survival in mice.


METHODS
BALB/c mice underwent submandibular lymphadenectomy either on the left side 7 or 21 days before the experiments or bilaterally 7 days in advance. First, (99m)Tc colloidal albumin (Nanocoll) was given as a subcutaneous lower-lid, upper-lid or subconjunctival injection, and count rates were determined 24 h later in the eyes, submandibular lymph nodes, spleen, liver and blood. Second, corneal graft survival was assessed in lymphadenectomised and control mice, and IFN-gamma secretion was determined in draining lymph nodes at the time of transplant rejection.


RESULTS
Following subconjunctival Nanocoll injection, count rates/min/mg tissue were significantly higher in the ipsilateral submandibular lymph node than in the other tissues or blood (<0.01). Ipsilateral lymphadenectomy prior to injection resulted in considerably increased count rates in contralateral nodes ( P<0.01), which were higher after injections into upper than into lower lids ( P=0.004). Bilateral submandibular lymphadenectomy led to enhanced count rates in the eyes, blood, spleen and liver (all P<0.01). Removal of the ipsilateral lymph node prior to corneal transplantation did not prolong allograft survival ( P>0.05) and considerably increased IFN-gamma secretion in contralateral nodes after prior removal of the ipsilateral ones paralleled transplant rejection.


CONCLUSIONS
In mice, removed submandibular lymph nodes are functionally completely replaced by the contralateral nodes. These studies demonstrate for the first time lymphatic drainage crossing the midline of the body. Consequently, unilateral lymphadenectomy does not improve corneal graft survival.
Schulte
Felix
F
Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Benjamin Franklin, Free University of Berlin, Hindenburgdamm 30, 12203 , Berlin, Germany.
Zhang
Er-Ping
EP
Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Benjamin Franklin, Free University of Berlin, Hindenburgdamm 30, 12203 , Berlin, Germany.
Franke
Jürgen
J
Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Benjamin Franklin, Free University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
Ignatius
Ralf
R
Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology of Infection, University Hospital Benjamin Franklin, Free University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
Hoffmann
Friedrich
F
Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Benjamin Franklin, Free University of Berlin, Hindenburgdamm 30, 12203 , Berlin, Germany. fhoffman@zedat.fu-berlin.de.
D000818:Animals; D002452:Cell Count; D016039:Corneal Transplantation / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000502:physiology*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D013363:Submandibular Gland; D013668:Technetium Tc 99m Aggregated Albumin
D013668:Technetium Tc 99m Aggregated Albumin; C083602:technetium Tc 99m nanocolloid; D007371:Interferon-gamma