title: Cutting edge: lymphatic vessels, not blood vessels, primarily mediate immune rejections after transplantation.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine the relative importance of blood vessels (hemangiogenesis) versus lymphatic vessels (lymphangiogenesis) in mediating immunological responses after transplantation. Using the murine model of corneal transplantation, graft survival was compared in differentially prevascularized and avascular recipient beds. Donor corneas (C57BL/6) were transplanted into uninflamed or inflamed avascular, prehemvascularized only or prehemvascularized and prelymphvascularized recipient murine eyes (BALB/C). Selective inhibition of lymphangiogenesis was achieved using antivascular endothelial growth factor receptor 3 Abs and anti-integrin alpha5 small molecules. Grafts placed into only prehemvascularized recipient beds had a similarly good graft survival compared with grafts placed into completely avascular, normal recipients, whereas the pre-existence of lymphatic vessels significantly deteriorated corneal graft survival (p < 0.05). Lymphatic vessels seem to contribute significantly to graft rejection after (corneal) transplantation. That may allow for selective, temporary, perioperative antilymphangiogenic treatment to promote graft survival without affecting blood vessels, even after solid organ transplantation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany.
authors.forename: Tina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dietrich
authors.forename: Felix
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bock
authors.forename: Don
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yuen
authors.forename: Deniz
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hos
authors.forename: Björn O
authors.initials: BO
authors.lastname: Bachmann
authors.forename: Grit
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zahn
authors.forename: Stanley
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wiegand
authors.forename: Lu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Claus
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cursiefen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001808:Blood Vessels; D016039:Corneal Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000276:immunology*; D006085:Graft Survival; D039482:Integrin alpha5 / Q000187:drug effects; D042583:Lymphangiogenesis / Q000187:drug effects; D042601:Lymphatic Vessels / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D014181:Transplantation Immunology
chemical_list: D039482:Integrin alpha5; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor