title: FK778, a novel immunosuppressive agent, reduces early adhesion molecule up-regulation and prolongs cardiac allograft survival.
abstract: The adhesion molecules, P-selectin, ICAM-1, and VCAM-1 are important mediators of T-cell adhesion and T-cell co-stimulation. We investigated the effect of the malononitrilamide FK778 on cardiac allograft survival, acute allograft rejection, and adhesion molecule up-regulation in a heterotopic, cardiac transplantation model. Rats received low- or high-dose FK778 or no treatment. Grafts were harvested on the fifth postoperative day for histologic examinations. To assess allograft survival, recipients were treated for a maximum of 10 days and grafts were harvested after cessation of the contractile activity. FK778 low dose showed a mild but significant decrease in mononuclear infiltration but failed to markedly reduce histologic rejection, adhesion molecule up-regulation, or to prolong allograft survival. However, high-dose FK778 treatment significantly reduced early up-regulation of P-selectin, ICAM-1, and VCAM-1, abolished infiltration, reduced histologic rejection and resulted in prolonged cardiac allograft survival. Therefore, FK778 is a novel, highly desirable immunosuppressive drug for transplantation medicine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany. sschrepfer@uke.uni-hamburg.de
authors.forename: Sonja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schrepfer
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Deuse
authors.forename: Hansjörg
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schäfer
authors.forename: Hermann
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Reichenspurner
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000480:Alkynes; D000818:Animals; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D007555:Isoxazoles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D009570:Nitriles; D019007:P-Selectin / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011914:Rats, Inbred BN; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000480:Alkynes; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D007555:Isoxazoles; D009570:Nitriles; D019007:P-Selectin; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; C115284:2-cyano-3-hydroxy-N-(4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-2-hepten-6-ynamide