title: Role of anti-TNF-α therapy in fat graft preservation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In this study, we evaluated the role of antitumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) therapy in the decrease of adipocyte apoptosis and weight preservation of fat grafts in the rat model.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 64 rats were randomly divided into 2 groups, with 32 rats in each group. Autologous fat tissue was grafted subcutaneously on the back of each rat. For the experimental group, antirat TNF-α monoclonal antibody was injected into the fat grafts during operation. No treatment was given to the tissue in the control group. Eight rats in each group were killed respectively, at days 7, 14, 30, and 60 postoperatively and sampled for assessments of weight preservation, gene expression of TNF-α, histology, and adipocyte apoptosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no significant differences in the weight of fat tissues between the control group and the experimental group at days 7, 14, and 30 postoperatively (P > 0.05). However, the preservation ratio of the tissue was 65.36% ± 14.98% in the antirat TNF-α antibody-treated group when compared with the weight at transplantation, which was significantly higher than the control group (44.63% ± 10.39%) 60 days after the operation (P < 0.05). The numbers of apoptotic cells in the control group were 15.6 ± 3.17, 24.6 ± 4.34, 22.8 ± 2.42, and 27 ± 3.83 per field at different postoperative intervals. However, the numbers of apoptotic cells in the tissues treated with TNF-α antibody were significantly lower than that in the control group, which was 1 ± 0.63, 4 ± 1.41, 6 ± 2.08, and 7.2 ± 2.82 per field (P < 0.05). Gene expression showed that the expression of TNF-α was lower in the experimental group than the control group at days 7 and 14 postoperatively (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results indicate that antirat TNF-α monoclonal antibody can preserve the quality of the transplanted fat tissue.
authors.affiliation: Division of Plastic Surgery, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, USA.
authors.forename: Mei
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Frederick C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Sailes
authors.forename: Elizabeth W
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Shuyin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Suman K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Das
mesh_terms: D052438:Adipocytes, White / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D008297:Male; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D050151:Subcutaneous Fat / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000637:transplantation*; D016378:Tissue Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D015415:Biomarkers; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha