[Effect of FK-506 on bronchial healing of canine lung allografts].

The effects of the immunosuppressive agents on the healing of the bronchial anastomosis following canine lung allo-transplantation were evaluated. Auto- or, allo-transplantation was performed in 44 dogs. The dogs were classified into following three groups: Group A (18 dogs) underwent autograft, Group B (13 dogs) underwent allograft following immunosuppressive therapy with cyclosporin A (20 mg/kg/day) orally and Group C (13 dogs) underwent allograft with FK-506 (0.1 mg/kg/day) injection intramuscularly and omentopexy on the bronchial anastomosis. The dogs were sacrificed at 1, 2, 3 or 4 weeks after surgery. The grafted lung and anastomosed bronchi were removed, and microscopic examination was performed. We estimated bronchial healing according to the inflammatory response score (IRS), which was defined as comprehensive assessment by histologic findings in each of the inflammatory response: inflammatory cell type, a degree of the proliferation of collagen fibers, edema, bleeding, degeneration and ulcer. There was no significant difference between the incidences of rejection and the inflammatory cell types. The degree of the proliferation of collagen fibers in Group C was moderate at 2 weeks and remarkable at 3 or 4 weeks. IRS at one week after operation was 9.1 +/- 1.5 in Group A, 8 in Group B and 8 in Group C. IRS at two weeks after surgery was 4.8 +/- 1.3 in Group A, 5.1 +/- 1.2 in Group B, 4.3 +/- 1.0 in Group C. IRS at three or four weeks after transplantation was 3.0 in Group A, 3.2 +/- 1.9 in Group B and 2.0 +/- 1.2 in Group C. There was no significant difference between each group and each week.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)