Prevention of lung allograft rejection by combined treatment with adhesion molecule antibodies and cyclosporine.
Infiltration of leukocytes into the lung allograft is regulated by adhesion molecules during acute rejection. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of monoclonal antibodies against ICAM-1 (1A29) to prevent rejection after lung transplantation. Left lateral orthotopic lung transplantation was performed using Dark Agouti rats as donors and Lewis rats as recipients. Recipients received 1A29 alone (group A), cyclosporine A alone (group B), a combination of both drugs (group C) or no therapy (group D). Animals were killed on day 5 and 10, respectively. Rejection was graded by histology. Myeloperoxidase activity (MPO) was measured in the graft. In allografts treated with cyclosporine and 1A29 histologically a lower grade of rejection was seen and less MPO were detected compared to groups A, B and D. Anti-ICAM-1 monoclonal antibodies alone as well as a subtherapeutic dose of cyclosporine are not effective to prevent acute allograft rejection after lung transplantation. However, the combination of both strategies significantly reduces rejection in this model.
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, University-Hospital, Arnold-Heller-Strasse 7, 24105 Kiel, Germany. mbrandt@kielheart.uni-kiel.de
Michael
M
Brandt
Christian
C
Grotkop
Jörg
J
Steinmann
Gustav
G
Steinhoff