Human interleukin-10 gene inhibits acute rejection by triggering apoptosis in allograft vascular transplantation.

The aim this study is to explore effect of IL-10 on apoptosis of VSMCs in allograft arterial transplantation rats, and to investigate mechanism. SD rats were divied into three groups, including control group (CN, with physiological saline), blank vector group (BV, with blank adenovirus) and combined gene group (CG, with adenovirus carried IL-10 gene). The isolated donor vascular was transfected with the adenovirus carried hIL-10 gene for 30 minutes by immersing method. Forty-five days post transplantation, the grafts were harvested. The allografts pathologioc changes were observed and the size of vascular intima and middle layer of allografts were measured. The expression of hIL-10 was detected by RT-PCR, ELISA and immunohistochemistry, respectively. The repression of Fas/Fasl in artery allografts was also examined by immunohistochemistry method. The results indicated that 45 days after transplantation, the intimal and middle hyperplasia ratio in CG group was significantly lower than that in CN and BV group (P < 0.05). The transgene expression of human interleukin-10 was significantly enhanced in CG group compared to CN and BV group by ELISA, RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry (P < 0.05). The expression of Fas/FasL was higher in CG group compared with the other groups (P < 0.05). The level of apoptotic smooth muscle cells were significantly increased in CG group compared to CN and BV group (P < 0.05). In conclusion, adenovirus mediated IL-10 expression could up-regulate Fas/FasL expression, induce smooth muscle cell apoptosis and alleviate angiosclerosis process. The IL-10 gene transfer to allograft artery could inhibit acute rejection reaction of allograft vascular transplantation.