The influence of rejection on graft motility after intestinal transplantation in swine: the possibility of using this method for the real-time monitoring of acute cellular rejection.
BACKGROUND
We have previously reported that rejected allografts show dysmotility, which can be detected by real-time monitoring in swine. We examined the correlation between the motility and the mucosal histology to detect rejection at an early stage by real-time monitoring.


METHODS
Intestinal transplantation was performed orthotopically using FK506. The distal segment of the allograft measuring about 20 cm was isolated and exteriorized as "Thiry-Vella" stoma for biopsies. Strain-gage force transducers were attached on a graft for the real-time monitoring of graft motility. The pigs without intestinal transplantation were used as controls (C). The rejection was classified into 4 groups based on the histologic findings: nonrejection, mild rejection, moderate rejection, and severe rejection. Migrating motor complex (MMC) phase 3 was estimated by the following parameters: duration, amplitude, interval, motility index, velocity, and frequency of the propagation.


RESULTS
In the nonrejection group, all parameters were almost the same as in C group. In contrast, in the moderate rejection and severe rejection groups, most of the parameters were significantly lower than those in the C group. In the mild rejection group, the contractility of the MMC was not significantly altered, but the frequency of the propagation decreased significantly.


CONCLUSIONS
The graft motility detected by the real-time strain-gage method correlated closely to the grade of mucosal histology. This method is therefore considered to be useful for detecting rejection at an early stage by examining the frequency of MMC propagation.
Matsuura
Toshiharu
T
Department of Pediatric Surgery, Reproductive and Developmental Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan. matsuura@pedsurg.med.kyushu-u.ac.jp
Taguchi
Tomoaki
T
Hayashida
Makoto
M
Ogita
Keiko
K
Takada
Narito
N
Nishimoto
Yuko
Y
Taguchi
Shohei
S
Uesugi
Toru
T
Kondo
Tsuyoshi
T
Hirose
Ryuichiro
R
Suita
Sachiyo
S
D000818:Animals; D001706:Biopsy; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility / Q000276:immunology*; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D007422:Intestines / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000637:transplantation*; D008297:Male; D016065:Myoelectric Complex, Migrating / Q000276:immunology; D016377:Organ Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013552:Swine; D016559:Tacrolimus / Q000627:therapeutic use
D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016559:Tacrolimus