Skin Allograft Using Donor Antigen-pulsed Dendritic Cell Therapy

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To treat burn and burn scar contracture, many types of skin grafts have been developed. Skin allograft is a recently introduced option for reconstruction of skin defects. The science of skin allotransplanation is rooted in progressive thinking by surgeons, fueled by innovative solutions, and aided by understanding the immunology of tolerance and rejection. METHODS: This study assesses the effect of dendritic cell pretreatment in induction of survival increase in a rat skin allograft model. Recipient derived dendritic cells were harvested from rat whole blood and cultured with GM-CSF and IL-4 for 2 weeks. Then donor-specific alloantigen pulsed dendritic cells were reinjected into subdermal tissue before skin graft. Rat left dorsal skin allografts were transplanted in 3 subgroups. Groups: I) untreated, II) FK-506 (2 mg/kg), III) dendritic cell pretreatment and FK-506. Graft appearance and histologic analysis were assessed postoperatively. RESULTS: The group III showed longest graft survival rate than other groups. CONCLUSION: Donor antigen pulsed host dendritic cell combined with short-term immunosuppression prolong skin allograft survival and has potential therapeutic application for induction of tolerance.