Effects of Metª²RANTES on rat small bowel allograft

    YANG Jianª²Jun, WANG Weiª²Zhong, LI Rui, LI Jiª²Peng

    Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi¡¯an 710033, China

    ¡¾Abstract¡¿ AIM: To observe the effects of chemokine receptor antagonist, Metª²RANTES, on the survival duration and pathological changes of allograft rats of heterotopic small bowel transplant, and the coordinative effects of Metª²RANTES used together with low dose of FK506. METHODS: Heterotopic small bowel transplant was performed between mature male SD and Wistar rats (SD rat small bowels transplanted into Wistar recipients). According to the different treatment, rats were divided into 3 groups: Group 1, allogeneic small bowel transplant untreated group as control, Group 2, allogeneic small bowel transplant treated with Metª²RANTES(200 ¦Ìg/d£¬ip), and Group 3, allogeneic small bowel transplant treated with Metª²RANTES(200 ¦Ìg/d£¬ip)and low dose of FK506 [0.5 mg/(kg¡¤d), im]. Post transplant clinical course and survival duration were recorded and the grafts were sampled at day 1, 3, 5, and 7, respectively, after the transplant. All samples were examined pathologically and compared across the groups. RESULTS: The survival duration median of the first group was 7.2 days (1.5) and the cause of death of all recipients was acute rejection and infection. The pathological examination of the allografts from the first group demonstrated mild, moderate, and severe rejections on postª²operative day 3, 5, and 7. The survival duration median of the second group was 19.2 days (16.4), obviously longer than that of the first group (P<0.01). The survival duration median of the third group was 30.9 days (9.0), significantly longer than that of the other two groups (P<0.01). The pathological examination of the allografts from the second and third groups demonstrated no obvious indication of rejection. CONCLUSION: Metª²RANTES may obviously suppress the allograft rejection, effectively protect the function of allograft, and significantly prolong the survival duration of the recipients. In addition, Metª²RANTES can strengthen the immunosuppression effects of low dose of FK506. ......