Induction of immune tolerance with heart-thymus composite allotransplantation in rats

Abstract

Objective To study on the role of thymus transplantation for heart allograft in rats. Methods Vascularized heart-thymus combined transplantation was performed with microsurgical technique. Graft survival, histopathology, level of IL-2, IL-4 and its mRNA expression in serum and cardiac grafts were investigated. Results Heart-thymus combined transplantation achieved effect in the prolongation of cardiac graft survival with short-term administration of cyclosporine. Conclusions Vascularized thymus transplantation induced immune tolerance in thymectomized rats.

Keywords

thymus / transplantation / immune tolerance / rejection / rat

References

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