ABSTRACT
Objective To evaluate the effect of anti-RANTES monoclonal antibody in combination with ciclosporin (CsA)upon inhibiting the rejection response during secondary heart transplantation in mouse models. Methods BALB/c mouse models were used as the donors and C57BL/6 mice were utilized to establish secondary heart transplantation recipient models. The animals were randomly divided into the control (physiological saline,n =6 ),A (anti-RANTES monoclonal antibody treatment,n =6 ),B (CsA treatment,n =6 ) and C groups (anti-RANTES monoclonal antibody combined with CsA treatment,n=6). The survival time of heart after secondary transplantation was observed. The degree of acute heart rejection was assessed by histopathological analysis. The relative expression levels of RANTES,interleukin(IL)-2,IL-1 0,interferon(IFN)-γand transcription growth factor(TGF)-βmessenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA)in the heart grafts were quantitatively measured by real-time fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The serum levels of RANTES,IFN-γ,IL-2,IL-1 0 and TGF-βwere detected by enzyme-linked immune absorbent assay (ELISA). Results The heart grafts of all mice survived after secondary cardiac transplantation. Compared with the control group,the survival time of hearts in group A,B and C was significantly prolonged (all P<0. 01 ). Pathological staining revealed that the quantity of infiltrated inflammatory cells in group C was significantly decreased than those in the other groups. The expression levels of heart RANTES,IFN-γand IL-2 mRNA in group C were significantly down-regulated, whereas the expression levels of IL-1 0 and TGF-βmRNA were considerably up-regulated compared with those in the other three groups (all P<0. 05). The serum levels of RANTES,IL-2 and IFN-γin group C were significantly down-regulated, whereas the serum contents of IL-1 0 and TGF-βwere considerably up-regulated compared with those in the other three groups (all P<0. 05 ). Conclusions Combined application of anti-RANTES monoclonal antibody and CsA can effectively induce the immune tolerance to secondary cardiac transplantation and prolong the survival time of the cardiac grafts in mouse models.