Non-viral human IL-10 gene expression reduces acute rejection in heterotopic auxiliary liver transplantation in rats.

We studied nonviral delivery, expression, and the effect of the human interleukin-10 (Hu IL-10) gene on the rat model of heterotopic auxiliary liver transplantation (HALT). Two previous pilot studies showed remarkable expression of the Hu IL-10 gene in donor and recipient rats, and a decreasing effect of acute rejection in certain cases. In this study, we focused on the efficacy of Hu IL-10 gene expression to decrease acute rejection compared with cyclosporine A (CyA) in a HALT model. Three study groups and one control group were designed. Each group consisted of 6 DA donor and 6 Lewis recipient rats, which underwent HALT. In the control group, donors and recipients were not treated at all. In group II, recipients were treated with one dose of CyA. In group III, donors were treated with Hu IL-10 plasmid. In group IV, donors were treated with Hu IL-10 plasmid, and recipients were treated with one dose of CyA. Rejection was established by histopathology: it revealed 100% rejection in control and 33.3% rejection in study groups II, III, and IV. Human IL-10 gene expression prevented acute rejection with the same efficacy as CyA in the HALT model in rats. Copyright 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.