Sensitization interval and administration method alter the effect of 15-deoxyspergualin on heart transplantation in sensitized recipient rats

We evaluated the effect of 15-deoxyspergualin (DSG) on accelerated rejection. Brown Norway rats (BN) served as organ donors and Lewis rats (LEW) as recipients. In an accelerated rejection model, after a LEW rat was sensitized with BN skin, a BN heart was transplanted. Various intervals between sensitization and heart transplantation were examined. The heart allografts in sensitized recipients were rejected earlier than those in unmodified recipients regardless of the sensitization interval. DSG (2.5 mg/kg per day), given to the recipients during the sensitization phase, significantly prolonged graft survival compared with the untreated hosts when the sensitization interval was short. When the recipients were treated with DSG after heart transplantation, heart graft survival was significantly prolonged regardless of the sensitization interval. Flow cytometric analysis and complement-dependent cytotoxicity tests revealed that DSG suppressed antidonor antibody formation and the postoperative administration of DSG significantly decreased the proliferation of B cells when the sensitization interval was short and the proliferation of class II antigen-positive cells when the sensitization interval was long.