Cell lineage in vascularized bone transplantation

Microsurgery. 2014 Jan;34(1):37-43. doi: 10.1002/micr.22147. Epub 2013 Aug 27.

Abstract

Background: The biology behind vascularized bone allotransplantation remains largely unknown. We aim to study cell traffic between donor and recipient following bone auto-, and allografting.

Methods: Vascularized femoral transplantation was performed with arteriovenous bundle implantation and short-term immunosuppression. Twenty male Piebald Virol Glaxo (PVG; RT1(c) ) rats received isotransplants from female PVG (RT1(c) ) rats and 22 male PVG rats received allografts from female Dark Agouti rats (DA, RT1(a) ), representing a major histocompatibility mismatch. Both groups were randomly analyzed at 4 or 18 weeks. Bone remodeling areas (inner and outer cortical samples) were labeled and laser capture microdissected. Analysis of sex-mismatch genes by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction provided the relative Expression Ratio (rER) of donor (female) to recipient (male) cells.

Results: The rER was 0.456 ± 0.266 at 4 weeks and 0.749 ± 0.387 at 18 weeks (p = 0.09) in allotransplants. In isotransplants, the rER was 0.412 ± 0.239 and 0.467 ± 0.252 at 4 and 18 weeks, respectively (p = 0.21). At 4 weeks, the rER at the outer cortical area of isotransplants was significantly lower in isotransplants as compared with allotransplants (0.247 ± 0.181 vs. 0.549 ± 0.184, p = 0.007). Cells in the inner and outer cortical bone remodeling areas in isotransplants were mainly donor derived (rER < 0.5) at 18 weeks, whereas allotransplants contained mainly recipient-derived cells (rER > 0.5) at 18 weeks.

Conclusions: Applying novel methodology, we describe detailed cell traffic in vascularized bone transplants, elaborating our comprehension on bone transplantation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bone Transplantation* / methods
  • Bone and Bones / blood supply*
  • Cell Lineage*
  • Female
  • Male
  • Rats
  • Transplantation, Homologous