title: IL-15 is decreased upon CsA and FK506 treatment of acute rejection following heart transplantation in mice.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of cyclosporine A (CsA) and tacrolimus (FK506) on interleukin-15 (IL-15) production during acute rejection following heart transplantation in mice. Inbred male Balb/c (H‑2d) and C57BL/6 (H-2b) mice were used to establish a heterotopic intra-abdominal cardiac transplantation model. The mice were divided in four groups: syngeneic control, allogeneic acute rejection, allogeneic rejection treated with CsA, and allogeneic rejection treated with FK506. The expression of IL-15, IL-2, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) was measured using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and western blotting. A low level of IL-15 was detected in transplanted hearts of the control group, with a significant increase observed in the allogeneic acute rejection group. Compared to the allogeneic acute rejection group, IL-15 expression was significantly decreased in the CsA- and FK506-treated allogeneic rejection groups. The TNF-α expression pattern was similar to that of IL-15 in all groups. IL-2 expression was increased in the allogeneic acute rejection group and was inhibited in mice treated with CsA and FK506. In conclusion, increased IL-15 expression in rejected murine heart grafts may be reduced by CsA and FK506 in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Zhiyong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Xiaoping
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Songfeng
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Haiyang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Shusen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zheng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D016027:Heart Transplantation; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D019409:Interleukin-15 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D023421:Models, Animal; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D016559:Tacrolimus / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D019409:Interleukin-15; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016572:Cyclosporine; D016559:Tacrolimus