The role of antibodies in dysfunction of pig-to-baboon pulmonary transplants

Abstract

Pulmonary transplantation has become the preferred treatment for end-stage lung disease, but application of the procedure is limited because of a paucity of donors. One way to solve donor limitations is to use animal organs as a donor source or xenotransplantation. The current barrier to pulmonary xenotransplantation is the rapid failure of the pulmonary xenograft. Although antibodies are known to play a role in heart and kidney xenograft rejection, their involvement in lung dysfunction is less defined. This project was designed to define the role of antibodies in pulmonary graft rejection in a pig-to-baboon model.