J Korean Med Sci.  2007 Feb;22(1):12-15. 10.3346/jkms.2007.22.1.12.

Improved Surgical Technique for Heterotopic Aortic Transplantation in Mice

• Cho HR
• Suh JH
• Lee EA
• Kim JE
• Lee SC
• Kwon B

• KMID: 1713222
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2007.22.1.12

Abstract

Transplant arteriosclerosis is the main limitation for long-term survival of solid organ transplant recipients. Animal models would provide invaluable tools to investigate the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of transplant arteriosclerosis, as well as for studies with novel drugs and other reagents for the prevention of the disease. We have therefore developed a modified technique for aortic transplantation in mice. The central suture ligation of the recipient abdominal aorta allowed a simpler end-to-side anastomosis of a segment of the donor thoracic aorta into the infrarenal portion of the recipient abdominal aorta. Using this technique, the overall survival rate was 94%. We also observed typical aspects of chronic rejection of the aortic allografts not observed with isografts. Our new technique is relatively easy to perform and has a low incidence of thrombosis, thus being useful for studying various aspects of transplant arteriosclerosis.

Keyword

Aorta; Organ Transplantation; Aortic Transplantation; Mice; Graft Rejection; Transplantation, Homologous; Allograft; Transplant Arteriosclerosis

MeSH Terms

*Transplantation, Heterotopic
Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
Mice, Inbred C57BL
Mice, Inbred BALB C
Mice
Male
Aorta/*transplantation
Animals

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Operative steps. (A) Suture ligation of the middle portion of the aorta. (B) Easy aortotomies at the proximal and distal parts of the recipient aorta due to central suture ligation. (C) Completion of the anastomosis. (D) Patency of the grafted aorta.

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  Fig. 2 Pathological analysis of the grafted aortas. The grafts were harvested at various times after transplantation. (A) H&E staining of syngeneic aortic grafts harvested during week 4. (B, C) H&E (B) and silver (C) staining of allogeneic aortic grafts harvested during week 4.

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  Fig. 3 RT-PCR analysis of the expression of molecules associated with chronic rejection. Naive, naive C57BL/6 mouse thoracic aorta; Syn, syngeneic, BALB/c syngeneic aortic graft; Allo, C57BL/6 allogeneic aortic graft; W, week.

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