title: Pregnancy after allogeneic uterus transplantation in the rat: perinatal outcome and growth trajectory.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether allogeneic uterine grafts in a rat model, with tacrolimus immunosuppression, can harbor pregnancies that result in offspring with normal postnatal growth.
  
  
  METHODS
  Experimental animal study.
  
  
  METHODS
  University hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Lewis rats as uterus donors and Piebald-Virol-Glaxo rats as recipients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Animals were allocated to one of the following three groups: allogeneic uterus transplantation with end-to-side anastomosis to the external iliac vessels and immunosuppression with tacrolimus (UT+Tac; n = 10); sham surgery and immunosuppression with tacrolimus (Sham+Tac; n = 10); or sham surgery (Sham; n = 10). The rats were subsequently introduced to male rats with proven fertility and in the event of resulting pregnancy cesarean sections were performed on day 22 of pregnancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Graft viability, fertility rate, perinatal death, birth weight, postnatal birth trajectory.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pregnancy rate was higher in the control groups (70% Sham and 80% Sham+Tac) than in the transplanted group (50% UT+Tac), although these differences did not reach the significance threshold. There were no differences between groups regarding number of living pups or neonatal deaths. Pups born from UT+Tac mothers had birth weights similar to external control animals from our breeding colony (BC): UT+Tac males 6.2 ± 0.2 g, UT+Tac females 5.5 ± 0.6 g, BC males 5.8 ± 0.2 g, BC females 5.2 ± 0.3 g; n.s. Evaluation of uteri and placentas of pregnant animals revealed a somewhat reduced vascular density in both tissues in the UT+Tac group, and that was not seen in the Sham+Tac group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Allogeneic uterus transplantation and immunosuppression with tacrolimus is compatible with normal pregnancy and perinatal outcome in a rat model.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden; Fertility Preservation Unit, Women's Health Area, La Fe University Hospital, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain; Instituto de Investigaciones Sanitarias La Fe, Valencia, Spain. Electronic address: cdiaz_med@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: César
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Díaz-García
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Liza
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Johannesson
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurophysiology/Endocrinology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Ruijin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurophysiology/Endocrinology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Håkan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bilig
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden; Stockholm IVF, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Mats
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brännström
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006085:Graft Survival; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008098:Litter Size; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D016559:Tacrolimus / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014019:Tissue Donors; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous; D014599:Uterus / Q000637:transplantation*
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016559:Tacrolimus
keywords: Rat; allogeneic; immunosuppression; offspring; pregnancy; transplantation; uterus