[Immune reconstitution in immunosuppressed pigs with human immune competent cells]

To reconstitute the immune system of the pig with human immune cells after destroying or suppressing it, so that the transplant immunoreactivity between human and pig could be monitored in vivo. Fifteen Chinese Neijiang pigs were divided into 3 groups. Group A (n = 5) received immunosuppression through intravenous infusion of methotrexate (MTX), myleran and cyclophosphamide (CTX). Group B received intraperitoneal injection of human bone marrow and spleen cells (HBSC) after the same treatment as group A. Group C (n = 5) received intravenous infusion of HBSC after the same treatment as group A. Blood routines and biochemical analysis were monitored. The chimerisms of human cells were supervised through immunohistochemistry of cytospin of peripheral blood from recipient pigs and flow cytometry of the same specimen and immunohistochemistry of frozen tissue sections and paraffin sections. All pigs in group A survived definitely. Group B and C survived 3 days to 54 days and 15 hours to 60 days respectively. The peripheral white blood cell count (WBCC) of group A, B and C decreased to the bottom 7 days after drug administration, about 1%-10% of the normal level. After transplantation, the WBCC of group B and C recovered more slowly than those of group A. Human cells were found in the recipient pigs of group B and C after transplantation through immunohistochemistry of peripheral blood cytospin and flow cytometry. Infiltration of human cells was found in the spleens and lungs of group C and D through immunohistochemistry. The chimerism of human cells in recipient pigs could be established by transplanting human bone marrow and spleen cells into immunosuppressed pigs. It is possible that XGVHD occurs in the recipient, which offers a novel animal model for studies on immunoreactivity of pig-to-human xenotransplantation. The proportions of human cells in peripheral blood of recipient pigs are low long after transplantation through both intraperitoneal injection and intravenous infusion.