title: The immune effect of intrathymic inoculation and whole body irradiation on production of xenoantibody in a pig-to-monkey heart transplantation model.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study was designed to investigate the immune effect of intrathymic inoculation and whole body irradiation on the production of monkey anti-pig xenoantibodies in a pig-to-monkey model.
  
  
  METHODS
  Donor (Meishan pig) and recipient (Rhesus monkey) animals were divided randomly into three groups: 1) the control group (group A), 2) the whole body irradiation (WBI) group (group B), and 3) the irradiation and intrathymic inoculation group (group C). The change in the percentage of antibody-positive (IgM and IgG) cells after pretreatment and xenografting were detected by flow cytometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After WBI, the level of natural IgM antibody decreased significantly (p<0.01), but the level of natural IgG antibody did not change (p>0.05). After xenografting, the levels of elicited xenoreactive IgM and IgG antibodies (EXA) in group C rose slower than in groups A and B (p<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Irradiation and intrathymic inoculation dampened the production of elicited xenoreactive IgM and IgG antibodies in a pig-to-monkey model.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, ShangHai pulmonary hospital, TongJi University, ShangHai, 200433, China.
authors.forename: Q V
authors.initials: QV
authors.lastname: Jichen
authors.forename: Zhenya
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Gening
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jiang