ABSTRACT
Aim To establish an allogenetic mouse skin trans-plant model,in order to provide a research model for immunosup-pressive drugs. Methods Skins from the ears of C57BL/6 mice were transplanted to the back of BALB/c mice and skin isografts ( BALB/c mice to BALB/c mice) were used as control. Cyclos-porin A( CsA) was used as a model compound to test the imm-nosuppresive effect on allogenetic graft rejection. Following the transplation and CsA treatment, the graft rejection score and graft skin survival rate were quantified. Four and nine days after transplantation,serum IL-4,IL-12 and IFN-γ levels were meas-ured using ELISA kits. Twelve days after transplantation, mice were sacrificed. The weight of spleen and thymus was obtained, and CD4 + and CD8 + population of spleenic T cells were ana-lyzed using flow cytometer. Histological features were assessed by hematoxylin-eosin( HE) staining of formalin-fixed, paraffin-em-bedded graft skins. Results After transplantion, the graft rejec-tion score increased and graft skin survival rate decreased gradu-allly. Serum IL-12 and IFN-γ levels of allograft mice increased markedly. Compared with those of isograft mice, mice with skin allograft displayed a significant increase in the percentage of the CD8 + T cell subpopulation. Remarkable inflammation, such as edema, inflammatory cell infiltration were observed in allograft mice. Compared with saline treated mice, CsA significantly re-duced the graft rejection score and improved survival rate of skin grafts. And also, CsA treated mice had smaller spleen and thy-mus. Mice that received high doses of CsA had significantly less CD8 + T cells than those treated with saline. Moreover, allograft skins in mice that received CsA had less inflammation. Conclu-sions Allogenetic mouse skin transplantation exhibits acute graft rejection. CsA can inhibit the rejection in a dose dependent manner.