Comparison on liver transplantation rejection among various strains combination of rats

  Objective   To compare the rejection of liver transplantation in different strains combination of rats.

  Methods   Four transplantation models of various strain combinations were established including the control group SD (donor) to SD (recipient) (group A) and the experimental groups Wistar to SD(group B), Lewis to BN(group C) and DA to Lewis(group D). Orthotopic liver transplantation model of rats were constructed by Kamada's two cuff technique. And serum hepatic functions in 4 groups of recipient rats at 10^th day after liver transplantation were compared, which was including alanine aminotransferase (ALT), total bilirubin (TB) and albumin (Alb). Meanwhile the serum levels of interleukin(IL)-2 and IL-10, rejection activity index(RAI) at 10^th day after liver transplantation and the average survival time of recipient rats were investigated.

  Results   Compared with group A and B, the serum levels of ALT and TB of group C and D increased obviously, while Alb decreased significantly. Compared with group C, TB of group D increased obviously, while Alb decreased remarkably. All of the differences were statistically significant (all in P<0.05). Compared with group A, the serum levels of IL-2 and IL-10 in group B, C and D all elevated significantly, and IL-2/IL-10 in group C and D increased remarkably too (all in P<0.05). Compared with group B, IL-2 in group C and D increased significantly, and IL-2/IL-10 in group D also elevated significantly. Compared with group C, both IL-2 and IL-2/IL-10 in group D increased significantly. All the differences were statistically significant (all in P<0.05). Hepatic histopathological examination showed that obvious rejection did not occur in the recipient rats of group A, which rejection activity index (RAI) was scored 1.8±0.7. The RAI score of Group B,C and D were 3.1±1.3, 6.9±0.8 and 8.8±0.5, which belonged to mild or vague rejection, moderate to severe rejection and severe rejection respectively. All the RAI scores comparison among and between each group had statistical differences (all in P<0.05). The average survival time of recipient rats in group A, B, C and D were (119.3±1.9) d, (116.9±8.3) d, (53.4±6.1) d and (12.1±2.4) d respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between group A and B, while the comparison between any other group was statistically significant (all in P<0.05).

  Conclusion   In four different rats strains combination, the rejection is most serious in the model of DA (donor) to Lewis (recipient), moderate in Lewis to BN, mildest and near to tolerance in Wistar to SD.