[Immune tolerance induced by combined heart-thymus transplantation with intrathymic inoculation of thymocytes in rats].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the role of allo heart and thymus transplantation by intrathymic inoculation of thymocytes.


METHODS
Wistar recipients were given intrathymic injection of allo thymocytes (2 x 10(7)) 14 days before the heart and/or thymus transplantation. Graft survival, histopathology, levels and mRNA expressions of IL-2, IL-4 in serum and cardiac-grafts were investigated.


RESULTS
Heart transplantation and heart-thymus composite transplantation with the treatment of CysA for 7 or 14 days prolonged graft survival. Heart transplantation and heart-thymus composite transplantation with intrathymic thymocytes injection induced the long-term survival of allo-grafts transiently immunosuppressed with CysA; IL-4 maintained at high levels but IL-2 kept at low levels in grafts in long-term survivals.


CONCLUSIONS
Intrathymic inoculation of allo thymoctyes can induce immune tolerance for both cardiac transplantation and heart-thymus combined transplantation in rats. Thymus graft may play a role in the induction and maintenance of central tolerance.
Xiong
Hai-bo
HB
Institute of Transplantation, Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410013, China. haiboxiong@sohu.com
Xia
Sui-sheng
SS
Huang
Zu-fa
ZF
Wen
Hao
H
Ye
Qi-fa
QF
D000818:Animals; D017690:Cell Transplantation; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006085:Graft Survival; D016027:Heart Transplantation; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000097:blood; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000097:blood; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology* / Q000637:transplantation*
D007376:Interleukin-2; D015847:Interleukin-4