ABSTRACT
To investigate the kinetic expression of cytokine in allografts in rats and the effect of hydrocamptothecin on such expression, syngenic and allogenic heart transplantation models were developed. Recipient rats were divided into 3 groups: group A, SD-SD; group B, Wistar-SD group C,Wistar-SD plus treatment with HPCT 2. Omg/(kg ?d). The grafts and spleens were harvested on days 1, 3, 5, 7, and 14 post-transplantation for morphology and RT-PCR detecting the expressions of IL-2, IFN-?, IL-4, IL-10 mRNA. The results showed that the cytokine generally increased commensurately with the infiltration of this leukocyte population. The cytokine mRNA transcript could be detected on days 1 and 3 after transplantation in group A. The IL-2 and IFN-? mRNA transcript could be detected on days 1, 3, 5, 7 and 14 with a peak on day 7 in group B, but on day 3 in group C. The IL-4 and IL-10 mRNA transcript could be detected on days 1,3,5,7 and 14 with a peak on day 5 in group B, while on day 7 in group C. The levels of IL-2 IFN-? mRNA expression were significantly lower in grafts of group C than those in grafts of group B, whereas the levels of IL-4 and IL-10 mRNA were significantly higer in grafts of group C than those in grafts of group B. The level of cytokine mRNA expression in the grafts was similar to that of spleen of recipients. Our conculssion is the expression of cytokine mRNA in allografts can be detected on day 1 after transplantation ,with peaking of IL-2 and IFN-? on day 7, IL-4 and IL-10 on day 5. The survival time of allograft can be prolonged by HCPT. The levels of IL-2 and IFN-? mRNA expression can be reduced, while the levels of IL-4 and IL-10 mRNA expression be enhanced by HCPT.