Relationship between cellular rejection and development of rat transplanted metanephroi from different gestational ages

Objective To explore the relationship between cellular rejection and the development of allo-or xenografted primordia from different gestational ages. Methods Whole rat metanephroi from embryonic day E14~E19 were transplanted into omenta of outbred (SD→SD, 6 groups, n≥10 each; E15-E17SDCsA, 3 groups, n=15 each), syngeneic (Lewis→Lewis, 5 groups, n=8 each), allogeneic (Lewis→BN, E15BN n=6 each E15BNCsA n=10 each, E16BNCsA n=10 each) rats and xenogeneic (Lewis→C57groups, E15C57 n=10 each, E15C57CsA, n=8 each; Lewis→Balb/c nude mice, 3 groups, n=10 each) recipients. Histopathology, Banff’s grading and electron microscopy (EM) were utilized for assessing the graft development. Similarly, biochemical indicators and creatinine clearances were measured. Results At 4 weeks post-transplantation, in SD→SD groups, E14-E17SD metanephroi developed with Banff’s rejections. E14/E15SD was significantly lighter than E16/E17SD (P 0.05). E14Lewis and E18Lewis rats had significantly poorly differentiated metanephroi than those in E16 Lewis group. In Lewis→C57BL/6, E15 metanephroi were rejected at Day 14 post-transplantation (n=10) and no improvement was evident after CsA dosing (15 mg·kg-1·d-1, n=8). In Lewis→Balb/c nude mice, all E15~E17Balb/c metanephroi developed well. Both light microscopy and EM examination showed normal nephrons and collecting ducts and wet weight, creatinine or urea nitrogen of effusion showed no significant difference (P>0.05). E15Lewis and E16Lewis had significantly different values of wet weight and creatinine clearances from those of E15SDCsA and E16SDCsA. E15SDCsA had the greatest wet weight and the lowest creatinine clearance rate (P<0.01). Conclusions After controlling rejection during allo-and xenotransplantations, E15, E16 and E17 rat metanephros have similar development characteristics. And cellular immunogenic factors still remain the major barriers to their developments. Key words: metanephrogenic blastema; immunological rejection; immunosuppressant; organogenesis