Influence of gadolinium-induced kupffer cell blockade on portal venous tolerance in rat skin allograft transplantation.
BACKGROUND
Intraportal injection of donor antigens delays rejection of allografts (portal venous tolerance). The study aimed to investigate the possible influence of prior gadolinium chloride (Gd)-induced Kupffer cell blockade on tolerance to non-vascularized skin allografts induced by means of donor-specific intraportal blood transfusion.


METHODS
Wistar rats (n = 10) were used as donors and Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 70) as recipients of a non-vascularized skin graft. Recipients were divided into groups according to the manipulations prior to transplantation, as follows: (1) no manipulation; (2) donor-specific intrajugular blood transfusion; (3) donor-specific intraportal blood transfusion; (4) Gd administration and donor-specific intrajugular blood transfusion; (5) Gd administration and donor-specific intraportal blood transfusion; (6) Gd administration, and (7) intraportal saline infusion. In a first set of experiments, these manipulations were performed once. In a second set of experiments, the same manipulations were performed twice. Skin allograft was performed 7 days after the last manipulation in all groups.


RESULTS
Group 3 showed the highest skin graft survival, particularly after repeated blood transfusion. Graft survival in this group was significantly higher than in any other group. Conversely, group 5 showed the lowest graft survival, particularly after repeated blood transfusion. Graft survival in this group was significantly lower than that of groups 1, 2, 3 and 7.


CONCLUSIONS
In this model of skin allograft transplantation, Gd administration abrogates and can even reverse the tolerogenic effect of repeated donor-specific intraportal blood transfusion.
Diaz-Peromingo
J A
JA
Department of Medicine, University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
Gonzalez-Quintela
A
A
D000818:Animals; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D005682:Gadolinium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006085:Graft Survival; D007728:Kupffer Cells / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D011169:Portal Vein; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D016038:Skin Transplantation; D023001:Transplantation Tolerance / Q000187:drug effects; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
D005682:Gadolinium; C038958:gadolinium chloride