Abstract:Objective To study the relationship between Th1/Th2 cytokine profiles and the survival time of cardiac allografts in mice.
Methods The ventral heterotopic cardiac transplantation models were divided into three groups: rejection group, treated group, isograft group, each group with 20 recipients. Mean survival time(MST), pathologic histological changes, the mRNA expression of IFN-γ,IL-2,IL-4 and IL-10 were measured.
Results MST of heart allografts in rejection and treated group was (7.8±0.77)d, and (14.80±1.01)d respectively. The survival time of grafts in isograft group were all more than 28d. The difference among the three groups was significant. In rejection group, the number of infiltrating cells was much more than that in the other groups, and also, the extent of pathologic histological changes was more severe. The mRNA expression of IFN-γ and IL-10 in graft and spleen in rejection group was much stronger than that in the others. There was no obvious mRNA expression of IL-2 and IL-4 in grafts of all three groups. The mRNA expression of IL-2 in the spleens of rejection group was the strongest, while the mRNA expression of IL-4 in the spleens of treated group was the strongest.
Conclusions The dynamic equilibrium of Th1/Th2 cytokines plays an important role in the survival time prolongation of cardiac allografts in mice. IL-10 can also participate in the process of graft rejection.