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J Reconstr Microsurg 2005; 21(3): 207-213
DOI: 10.1055/s-2005-869828
BASIC SCIENCE REVIEW

Copyright © 2005 by Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc., 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Peripheral Nerve Transplantation: The Role of Chemical Acellularization in Eliminating Allograft Antigenicity

Jason M. Rovak1 , 2 , D. Keith Bishop3 , 4 , Leslie K. Boxer5 , Sherri C. Wood3 , Anil K. Mungara5 , Paul S. Cederna2 , 5
  • 1Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Washington University, St. Louis, MO
  • 2Institute of Gerontology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
  • 3Transplant Immunology Research Laboratories, Section of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Michigan Health Systems, Ann Arbor, MI
  • 4Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI
  • 5Section of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Michigan Health Systems, Ann Arbor, MI
Further Information

Publication History

Accepted: December 4, 2004

Publication Date:
06 May 2005 (online)

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ABSTRACT

This study tests the hypothesis that a chemically acellularized peripheral nerve allograft is as immunologically inactive as a peripheral nerve isograft. Cellular and acellular sciatic nerves were transplanted from BALB/c into C57BL/6 mice. C57BL/6 sciatic nerves were also transplanted into C57BL/6 recipients as isograft controls. Fourteen days post-transplantation, recipient splenocytes were isolated, stimulated with donor alloantigens, and IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, and γ-IFN production was quantified using the ELISPOT technique. Cellular peripheral nerve allografts stimulated robust Th1 and Th2 systemic immune responses, whereas acellular peripheral nerve allografts elicited a response that is comparable to or lower than that quantified following peripheral nerve isograft transplantation. Chemical acellularization of peripheral nerve allografts dramatically reduces the cellular and humoral immunologic responses. These data indicate that chemically acellularized peripheral nerve constructs are relatively non-antigenic and may be a readily available source of nerve for peripheral nerve reconstruction.

KEYWORDS

Nerve - immunology - transplantation

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Paul S CedernaM.D. F.A.C.S. 

University of Michigan Health Systems, Department of Surgery, Section of Plastic Surgery

1500 East Medical Center Drive, 2130 Taubman Center

Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0340

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