title: Susceptibility of corneal allografts and xenografts to antibody-mediated rejection.
abstract: The effects of passive transfer of antisera containing cytotoxic antibodies to allo- and xenoantigens on survival of corneal allografts and xenografts were evaluated in experimental models. Corneas from allogeneic B10 or xenogeneic rat Lewis donors were grafted orthotopically into BALB/c mice. Recipient mice were treated with donor-specific antisera administered at the period of grafting or at 2 weeks after transplantation. Rejection was determined by the severity of corneal opacity using a standard scoring system. Treatment of graft recipients with donor-specific antisera accelerated the onset of graft rejection and significantly shortened survival times of both corneal allografts and xenografts. Corneal xenografts, which had been accepted after treatment with anti-CD4 monoclonal antibody, were acutely rejected by the passive transfer of antiserum against xenoantigens. The results suggest that corneal grafts are vulnerable to antibody-dependent immunity and that cytotoxic antibodies against graft donor antigens can mediate rejection of both corneal allografts and xenografts.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Genetics, Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo n.2, 166 37 Prague 6, Czech Republic. holan@img.cas.cz
authors.forename: Vladimír
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Holán
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vítová
authors.forename: Magdaléna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Krulová
authors.forename: Alena
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zajícová
authors.forename: Ales
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Neuwirth
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Filipec
authors.forename: John V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Forrester
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015478:Antigens, Heterophile / Q000276:immunology; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D016039:Corneal Transplantation / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006085:Graft Survival; D007106:Immune Sera / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology; D007116:Immunization, Passive; D007519:Isoantigens / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D013997:Time Factors; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D015478:Antigens, Heterophile; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D007106:Immune Sera; D007519:Isoantigens