Macrophage depletion prevents anti-graft antibody production and results in long-term survival in xenotransplantation

Liposome-encapsulated dichloromethylene diphosphonate (clodronate) is known to deplete macrophages. We examined the effect of clodronate on xenoreactive antibody production and xenograft rejection. Hamster cardiac grafts were transplanted into Lewis rats. Clodronate (4 mL/kg) was injected intravenously on the day before transplantation. In some groups, cyclosporine A (CsA) at a dose of 15 mg/kg was given daily intramuscularly until the end of each experiment. Untreated Lewis rats rejected the grafts at 2 and 3 days after transplantation. Neither CsA treatment alone nor clodronate treatment alone prolonged graft survival. Five of 7 Lewis recipients treated with clodronate and CsA did not reject hamster hearts for 100 days. Antibody production in the CsA plus clodronate-treated group was suppressed compared with control groups.