Effects of portal venous inoculation with donor splenocytes on lung allograft survival in dogs

The effects of portal venous inoculation with donor splenocytes on lung allograft survival were evaluated in dogs. Within the dose range examined, portal venous inoculation with donor splenocytes alone did not affect the graft survival time. Although the mean graft survival time was prolonged by FK 506 treatment for 14 days, the transplanted lungs were rejected within 12 days after termination of FK 506 administration. However, when the recipients were given portal venous inoculation with donor splenocytes at the time of transplantation, the graft survival time after termination of FK 506 administration was significantly prolongated. In the recipients that received combined therapy of portal venous inoculation with donor splenocytes and FK 506 treatment, arterial oxygen tension and histologic architecture of the transplanted lungs remained within the normal range for a longer period than these measures did in control animals that received FK 506 treatment alone. Dose-response experiments revealed that 1 x 10^8 cells/recipient was most effective in causing prolonged graft survival after termination of FK 506 treatment. On the basis of these results, perioperative portal venous inoculation with donor splenocytes can enhance the immunosuppressive effect of FK 506 in the canine lung transplantation model. (J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 1996;112:300-5)