title: A Novel Microsurgical Model for Heterotopic, En Bloc Chest Wall, Thymus, and Heart Transplantation in Mice.
abstract: Exploration of novel strategies in organ transplantation to prolong allograft survival and minimizing the need for long-term maintenance immunosuppression must be pursued. Employing vascularized bone marrow transplantation and co-transplantation of the thymus have shown promise in this regard in various animal models. Vascularized bone marrow transplantation allows for the uninterrupted transfer of donor bone marrow cells within the preserved donor microenvironment, and the incorporation of thymus tissue with vascularized bone marrow transplantation has shown to increase T-cell chimerism ultimately playing a supportive role in the induction of immune regulation. The combination of solid organ and vascularized composite allotransplantation can uniquely combine these strategies in the form of a novel transplant model. Murine models serve as an excellent paradigm to explore the mechanisms of acute and chronic rejection, chimerism, and tolerance induction, thus providing the foundation to propagate superior allograft survival strategies for larger animal models and future clinical application. Herein, we developed a novel heterotopic en bloc chest wall, thymus, and heart transplant model in mice using a cervical non-suture cuff technique. The experience in syngeneic and allogeneic transplant settings is described for future broader immunological investigations via an instructional manuscript and video supplement.
authors: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
authors: Byoungchol
authors: B
authors: Oh
authors: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
authors: Georg J
authors: GJ
authors: Furtmüller
authors: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Sosin
authors: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
authors: Madeline L
authors: ML
authors: Fryer
authors: Burn and Complex Wound Center; Section of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University of Chicago Medical Center.
authors: Lawrence J
authors: LJ
authors: Gottlieb
authors: Division of Plastic, Reconstructive, and Maxillofacial Surgery, R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center.
authors: Michael R
authors: MR
authors: Christy
authors: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; Vascularized Composite Allotransplantation (VCA) Lab, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; gbranda2@jhmi.edu.
authors: Gerald
authors: G
authors: Brandacher
authors: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; Vascularized Composite Allotransplantation (VCA) Lab, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; adorafs1@jhmi.edu.
authors: Amir H
authors: AH
authors: Dorafshar
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006085:Graft Survival; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D051379:Mice; D023421:Models, Animal; D035441:Thoracic Wall / Q000637:transplantation*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000637:transplantation*; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous / Q000379:methods*