Significant progress in understanding and overcoming cardiac xenograft rejection using a clinically relevant large animal pig-to-baboon model has accelerated in recent years. This advancement is based on improved immune suppression, which attained more effective regulation of B lymphocytes and possibly newer donor genetics. These improvements have enhanced heterotopic cardiac xenograft survival from a few weeks to over 2 years, achieved intrathoracic heterotopic cardiac xenograft survival of 50 days and orthotopic survival of 57 days. This encouraging progress has rekindled interest in xenotransplantation research and refocused efforts on preclinical orthotopic cardiac xenotransplantation.
Keywords: Anti CD154 antibody; Anti CD20 antibody; Anti CD40 antibody; Cardiac xenotransplantation; Heterotopic; Intrathoracic heterotopic; Orthotopic.
Copyright © 2015 IJS Publishing Group Limited. All rights reserved.