Renoprotective effects of cotransplanted allogeneic testicular Sertoli cells in a renal acute rejection model in rats.
OBJECTIVE
We sought to study the renoprotective effect of cotransplanted allogeneic testicular Sertoli cells on renal acute rejection in rats.


METHODS
A renal acute rejection model using kidneys from Sprague-Dawley (n=30) transplanted into Wistar rats (n=30) was constructed. The rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: (1) the cyclosporine group, which was treated with daily hypodermic injections of cyclosporine (15 mg/kg) after transplant, (2) the Sertoli cells group with cell suspension (n = 2 × 10⁶ cells) into the subcapsular space of the renal graft, and (3) the control group, which received no posttransplant intervention. Graft function was measured based on serial serum creatinine. Graft histology was examined at 10 days posttransplant, and survival duration was recorded.


RESULTS
Serum creatinine was significantly higher in the Sertoli cells and cyclosporine groups than in the controls. Survival duration was significantly longer in the Sertoli cells (19.50 ±  4.3 d) and cyclosporine groups (21.50 ±  5.9 d) than in the controls (14 ±  3.1 d). Allografts in the control group exhibited typical severe acute rejection, including widespread interstitial infiltration with tubulous, patchy necrosis and hemorrhage, severe glomerulitis with extensive capillary occlusion caused by endothelial swelling, and intimal arteritis in the cortex. Findings of acute rejection were less in the Sertoli cells and cyclosporine groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Sertoli cell implantation is an effective method for increasing survival duration in rat renal transplant, and it has potential as a new alternative to cyclosporine immunosuppression.
Department of Urology, Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital, 28 Fuxing Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100853, China.
Hai-xing
HX
Mai
Lei
L
Yu
Li-jun
LJ
Chen
Nan
N
Qu
Li
L
Zhao
Ya-ling
YL
Wang
Jian-tao
JT
Li
Hua
H
You
Xu
X
Zhang
D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006084:Graft Rejection; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy / Q000379:methods; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012708:Sertoli Cells / Q000637:transplantation*
D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016572:Cyclosporine; D003404:Creatinine