title: Acute cell-mediated rejection in orthotopic pig-to-mouse corneal xenotransplantation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To investigate the role of T cells and natural killer (NK) cells in mediating corneal xenograft rejection in a pig-to-mouse model.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pig corneas were orthotopically transplanted into BALB/c, C57BL/6, nude, severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), and NOD/SCID/gammac(null) (NOG) mice. Graft survival was clinically assessed by slit-lamp biomicroscopy and median survival times (MST) were calculated. The rejected grafts were histologically evaluated using antibodies against CD4, CD8, NK1.1, and F4/80.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The pig corneal xenografts were acutely rejected by BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice (MST 9.0 days), while nude, SCID and NOG mice rejected pig corneas in a more delayed fashion (MST 16.0, 16.4, and 16.9 days, respectively). The majority of infiltrating cells found in rejected grafts in C57BL/6 mice were macrophages and CD4(+) T cells, while CD8(+) T cells and NK cells were rarely found. The grafts in nude mice had markedly decreased inflammatory infiltration with small numbers of macrophages and CD4(+) T cells. Infiltration was even more modest in grafts in SCID and NOG mice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  T cells play an important role in acute rejection of pig corneal xenografts in mice, although acute rejection is not solely the result of T-cell-mediated immunity. NK cells are less likely to be involved in the rejection process.
authors.affiliation: Seoul Artificial Eye Center, Seoul National University Hospital Clinical Research Institute, 28 Yeongeon-dong, Chongno-gu, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Joo Youn
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Mee Kum
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jung Hwa
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.forename: Hyun Ju
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Youngji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Chan-Sik
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Chung-Gyu
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Sang Joon
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Won Ryang
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Wee
authors.forename: Jin Hak
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003315:Cornea / Q000473:pathology; D016039:Corneal Transplantation / Q000276:immunology*; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000276:immunology*; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C / Q000276:immunology; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL / Q000276:immunology; D016688:Mice, Inbred NOD / Q000276:immunology; D008819:Mice, Nude / Q000276:immunology; D016513:Mice, SCID / Q000276:immunology; D034421:Sus scrofa / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous / Q000276:immunology*