Long-term survival of DLA-matched segmental small-bowel allografts in dogs

The aim of this study was to investigate the combined effect of DLA matching and immunosuppressive therapy on the survival of segmental small-bowel allografts in dogs. Orthotopic segmental small-bowel transplantations (25 to 30% of total small bowel length) were performed in two stages: first a heterotopic segmental small bowel transplantation, followed after 5 to 8 weeks by a second-stage operation during which the heterotopic graft was placed in an orthotopic position and the native small bowel was resected. All dogs received cyclosporine immunosuppression. Control dogs (n=4), subjected to total enterectomy, survived 37.3±7.1 days (mean ± SEM). Recipients of DLA-mismatched small bowel grafts (n=6) survived 113.2±37.0 days, which was a significantly shorter time than dogs with a DLAmatched graft (n=6, 211.5±38.8 days, P&lt;0.05). None of the matched allografts was rejected during CsA treatment, whereas four of six mismatched grafts were (P&lt;0.05). The control dogs uniformly showed progressive weight loss, steatorrhea, and hypoalbuminemia. The dogs with DLA-mismatched grafts did not regain initial body weight, whereas animals with DLAmatched grafts recovered preoperative weight after 20 weeks. Both transplanted groups showed near-normal fecal fat excretions and constant serum albumin, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels, whereas serum total protein levels increased during follow-up. We conclude that segmental small bowel transplantation between DLAmatched donor-recipient pairs results in long-term survivors with an adequate nutritional status. This may have important implications for future living-related small-bowel transplantation.</p

The continued need for animals to advance brain research

Policymakers aim to move toward animal-free alternatives for scientific research and have introduced very strict regulations for animal research. We argue that, for neuroscience research, until viable and translational alternatives become available and the value of these alternatives has been proven, the use of animals should not be compromised

The continued need for animals to advance brain research

Policymakers aim to move toward animal-free alternatives for scientific research and have introduced very strict regulations for animal research. We argue that, for neuroscience research, until viable and translational alternatives become available and the value of these alternatives has been proven, the use of animals should not be compromised

The continued need for animals to advance brain research

Policymakers aim to move toward animal-free alternatives for scientific research and have introduced very strict regulations for animal research. We argue that, for neuroscience research, until viable and translational alternatives become available and the value of these alternatives has been proven, the use of animals should not be compromised

The continued need for animals to advance brain research

Policymakers aim to move toward animal-free alternatives for scientific research and have introduced very strict regulations for animal research. We argue that, for neuroscience research, until viable and translational alternatives become available and the value of these alternatives has been proven, the use of animals should not be compromised