Abstract
To investigate the pathogenesis of accelerated graft atherosclerosis after
rdiac transplantation, a genetically well-defined and reproducible animal
del is required. We performed heterotopic intraabdominal heart transplantation
tween the two inbred strains of mice. Forty hearts from B10.A mice were
ansplanted into B10.BR mice. Recipients were sacrificed at 1, 3, 5, 7, 14, 28,
d 42 days after implantation. The specimens from both donor and recipient were
amined with fluorescent immunohistochemistry and the serial histopathologic
anges were evaluated. In the donor hearts, ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 expressions were
nimal at day 1 and they gradually increased, reaching their peaks on day 5 or
and remained unchanged by day 42. However, there were very little expressions
the recipients' hearts. Mean percent areas of intima in the donor coronaries
vealed progressive increase by day 42. However, those in the recipients
cupied consistently less than 5% of the lumen. In conclusion, we demonstrated
at a heterotopic murine heart transplantation model was a useful tool to
oduce transplantation coronary artery disease and that adhesion molecules on
e cardiac allografts were activated very early and remained elevated at all
me-points, nonetheless the arterial lesion was detected after day 28 and its
ogression was accelerated thereafter.