Department of Plastic and Hand Surgery, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
Department for BioMedical Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
Sci Rep. 2019 Jun 25;9(1):9269. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-45759-y.
Vascularized composite allotransplantation (VCA), such as hand and face transplantation, is emerging as a potential solution in patients that suffered severe injuries. However, adverse effects of chronic high-dose immunosuppression regimens strongly limit the access to these procedures. In this study, we developed an in situ forming implant (ISFI) loaded with rapamycin to promote VCA acceptance. We hypothesized that the sustained delivery of low-dose rapamycin in proximity to the graft may promote graft survival and induce an immunoregulatory microenvironment, boosting the expansion of T regulatory cells (T). In vitro and in vivo analysis of rapamycin-loaded ISFI (Rapa-ISFI) showed sustained drug release with subtherapeutic systemic levels and persistent tissue levels. A single injection of Rapa-ISFI in the groin on the same side as a transplanted limb significantly prolonged VCA survival. Moreover, treatment with Rapa-ISFI increased the levels of multilineage mixed chimerism and the frequency of T both in the circulation and VCA-skin. Our study shows that Rapa-ISFI therapy represents a promising approach for minimizing immunosuppression, decreasing toxicity and increasing patient compliance. Importantly, the use of such a delivery system may favor the reprogramming of allogeneic responses towards a regulatory function in VCA and, potentially, in other transplants and inflammatory conditions.
血管化复合组织同种异体移植(VCA),如手和面部移植,正在成为严重创伤患者的一种潜在解决方案。然而,慢性高剂量免疫抑制方案的不良反应强烈限制了这些手术的应用。在本研究中,我们开发了一种载有雷帕霉素的原位形成植入物(ISFI),以促进 VCA 接受。我们假设在移植物附近持续输送低剂量雷帕霉素可能促进移植物存活,并诱导免疫调节微环境,从而促进 T 调节细胞(Treg)的扩增。载有雷帕霉素的 ISFI(Rapa-ISFI)的体外和体内分析显示,药物具有亚治疗性的全身水平和持续的组织水平的持续释放。在与移植肢体同侧腹股沟单次注射 Rapa-ISFI 可显著延长 VCA 的存活时间。此外,Rapa-ISFI 治疗可增加循环和 VCA 皮肤中多谱系混合嵌合体的水平和 T 细胞的频率。我们的研究表明,Rapa-ISFI 治疗代表了一种有前途的方法,可以最大限度地减少免疫抑制、降低毒性并提高患者的依从性。重要的是,这种给药系统的使用可能有利于将同种异体反应重新编程为 VCA 中的调节功能,并可能在其他移植和炎症情况下具有优势。