Abstract:

Objective To explore the effect of monocytes treated by extracorporeal photochemotherapy on rejection in rat kidney transplantation. Methods A model of rat kidney transplantation was surgically established. The mononuclear cells from recipient rats were isolated and treated with 8⁃methoxyporalen plus ultraviolet exposure （ECP）. The rats were randomly divided into four groups（12 for each group）according to intravenous infusion of different compositions. Group 1 received ECP，group 2 received traditional anti⁃rejection drugs，group 3 received phoaphate buffer solution（PBS，placebo group），and group 4 received no renal transplantation. Group 2 was injected with cyclosporine A of 5 mg/kg subcutaneously from postoperative day 1 for 10 days. The other three groups were injected with ECP，PBS，or normal saline for 7 presurgical days，on the surgical day，and for 7 postsurgical days through the tail vein，respectively. Changes in lymphocyte count，cytokine，renal function and pathology were observed in transplanted mice. Results Levels of IL⁃2，inf⁃γ，CD4+ ，and CD8+ were decreased，while IL⁃10 level increased in groups 1 and 2. The degree of rejection was slighter in groups 1 and 2 than in group 3. There were significant differences among the different groups. Conclusions ECP can regulate cytokines and T cells and reduce rejection of kidney transplantation in rats.

Key words:

extracorporeal photochemotherapy, kidney transplantation, rat, rejection