Recipient FK506 pretreatment regimens in rat small bowel transplantation: allograft survival, function, and systemic infection

Inhibition of Sonic Hedgehog Signaling Reduces Chronic Rejection and Prolongs Allograft Survival in a Rat Orthotopic Small Bowel Transplantation Model

BACKGROUND

Although acute graft rejection can be successfully controlled by immunosuppressive agents, chronic rejection (CR), which is characterized by arteriosclerosis in the donor organ vessels, is a major hurdle to long-term allograft survival. Sonic hedgehog (Shh), a morphogen critical in embryogenesis, also promotes peripheral immunity, which prompted us to investigate if inhibition of Shh signaling could reduce CR and thereby enhance allograft survival.

METHODS

In a rat orthotopic small bowel transplantation model, FK506 prevented acute rejection; however, recipients eventually lost their grafts by CR. Anti-Shh antibody or isotype control were administered to animals at day 30 postoperatively. Graft survival, tissue fibrosis, vascular occlusion, and expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were investigated.

RESULTS

Immunostaining revealed that Shh and the Hedgehog receptor Patched 1 (Ptc1) are strongly expressed in CR grafts and that Ptc1 expression partially overlapped with that of ED-1, a macrophage marker. In contrast, only minimal expression of Shh and Ptc1 was detected in syngeneic grafts. Grafts survival was significantly prolonged after anti-Shh antibody treatment compared with the immunoglobulin G control (116 vs. 77.5 days). Collagen deposition and vascular occlusion in the mesentery were markedly reduced in recipients of the anti-Shh antibody. Specific transcripts and protein expression for VEGF, which was present mainly in the blood vessels, were reduced.

CONCLUSION

In a rat small bowel transplantation model, anti-Shh antibody treatment reduced CR and prolonged graft survival. These beneficial effects of Shh treatment may occur partly by reducing VEGF expression in the blood vessels of the allografts.

Comparative study of allograft survival of heterotopic and orthotopic small bowel transplantation in rat

BACKGROUND

Small bowel allografts can either be placed heterotopically or orthotopically. In heterotopic small bowel transplantation (H-SBT), the host small intestine containing a substantial amount of gut-associated lymphoid tissue is removed, whereas in conventional orthotopic small bowel transplantation (O-SBT) it is retained. This study compared the allograft survival of H-SBT and O-SBT and evaluated the effect of retaining the host intestine in O-SBT in an altered O-SBT (AO-SBT) model.

METHODS

SBT was performed in a high-responder rat stain combination (blood group D Agouti --> Lewis). Immunosuppressive treatment consisting of a short course of FK506 (2 mg/kg/day IM for 3 days before transplantation and 0.3 mg/kg/day for 14 days after transplantation) was used.

RESULTS

Survival (mean +/- SD) of H-, O-, and AO-SBT untreated animals was 6.25+/-0.58 days, 6.5+/-0.58 days, and 6.7+/-0.25 days, respectively. With FK506 immunosuppression, survival of H-SBT animals was 49.3+/-13.17 days, whereas 75% (12/16) and 80% (4/5), respectively, of O-SBT and AO-SBT animals achieved indefinite survival (>120 days) with functioning grafts.

CONCLUSION

Our data suggest that heterotopic placement of intestinal allografts results in a more severe graft rejection than orthotopic placement. The indefinite survival of O-SBT is not due to of the removal of host intestine carrying a heavy load of gut-associated lymphoid tissue.

Association of the CD134/CD134L costimulatory pathway with acute rejection of small bowel allograft

BACKGROUND

The CD134/CD134L interaction provides a strong costimulatory signal that is CD28-independent. The CD134/CD134L pathway has been studied in inflammatory, autoimmune diseases, and graft-versus-host disease, but no information exists on the involvement of CD134/CD134L interactions in solid organ transplantation.

METHODS

CD134/CD134L costimulation was studied in a rat model of small bowel transplantation. Immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry were used to analyze the expression and localization of CD134/CD134L. Mixed lymphocyte culture and quantitative RT-PCR were used to measure the effect on T proliferation and T helper cell cytokine transcripts of single or combined CD134 and CD28 costimulatory blockade.

RESULTS

CD134 and CD134L molecules were strongly expressed in acutely rejected small bowel allografts. This expression was significantly suppressed by FK506. Interruption of the CD134 and CD28 costimulatory pathways resulted in an pronounced increase in expression of interleukin-10 transcripts.

CONCLUSION

These results present the first evidence that the CD134/CD134L interaction is associated with acute allograft rejection. Combined CD134/CD134L blockade may be an effective treatment to both prevent acute allograft rejection and promote the induction of cells with regulatory capacity.

Role of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in early and late acute rejection of small bowel allograft

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE

Results of small bowel transplantation remain unsatisfactory because of severe immune rejection. The current study aims to elucidate the role of activation of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in early and late acute rejection of small bowel allograft and, hence, provide the immunologic basis for developing new therapeutic strategies.

METHODS

We used an MHC fully mismatched (DA to Lewis) heterotopic rat small bowel transplant model and a unique FK506-based immunosuppressive regimen, which suppresses early acute rejection but does not prevent late acute rejection. Flow cytometric analysis was used to quantitate the number of activated CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in graft and host mesenteric lymph nodes.

RESULTS

The survival (mean +/- SD) of intestinal allograft was significantly prolonged, from 6.6 +/- 0.84 days for the untreated group to 40.7 +/- 14.1 days for the FK506-treated group. Activation of CD4+ cells was suppressed significantly in the FK506-treated group on postoperative day 7 compared with the untreated group (29.4% +/- 3.55% v 52.83% +/- 11.9%; P <.01). Activation of CD8+ cells was similarly suppressed (31.5 +/- 10.34% v 48.53 +/- 14.34%; P <.05). Interestingly, at late acute rejection, activated CD4+ and CD8+ T cells remained at almost the same low levels as those on postoperative day 7 in the FK506-treated group. The spleen to body weight ratio was significantly increased in the untreated group (0.53 +/- 0.07), and slightly increased in the FK treated group (0.27 +/- 0.07, on postoperative day 7; 0.24 +/- 0.07 at late acute rejection) compared with the syngeneic group (0.18 +/- 0.02).

CONCLUSION

The activation of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells was suppressed effectively by early potent immunosuppressive treatment resulting in prolonged survival of intestinal allograft. At late acute rejection, the CD4+ and CD8+ T cells remained at low-level activation status, in contrast to the surge of CD4+ and CD8+ activation during early acute rejection. This suggests that persistent T cell activation even at low level is sufficient to cause the late acute rejection eventually. A therapeutic strategy targeting these cells is needed for long-term engraftment.