ANTIGENICITY OF VENOUS ALLOGRAFTS

With isolated exceptions, the clinical use of venous allografts is disappointing. Allograft antigenicity might play a major role in the failure of venous allografts when used as arterial replacements. Recent reports suggest that DMSO [dimethyl sulfoxide] cryopreservation of venous allografts may reduce allograft antigenicity while preserving allograft viability. The effect of modifications of vein allografts on subsequent allograft antigenicity was examined. Skin grafts were transplanted from ACI to Lewis inbred strains of male rats. Primary skin graft rejection occurred in 9.0 .+-. 1.0 days. Implantation s.c. of fresh inferior vena cava from ACI rats into Lewis rats resulted in subsequent skin graft rejection in 5.0 .+-. 1.0 days, confirming the antigenicity of venous tissue. Cryopreservation of ACI inferior vena cava for 7 days prior to implantation, with or without 15% DMSO, resulted in subsequent skin graft rejection in 5.0 .+-. 1.0 days. Treatment of ACI inferior vena cava with 0.30% gluteraldehyde for 20 min prior to implantation in Lewis rats resulted in skin graft rejection in 9.0 .+-. 1.0 days, the same as a 1st set rejection. Unmodified veins may be normally antigenic. This antigenicity is probably not eliminated by cryopreservation with or without DMSO. Gluteraldehyde treatment may reduce allograft antigenicity, but results in a nonviable graft. There is no known way to reduce the antigenicity of viable venous allografts.