Presence of Pig IgG and IgM in Sera Samples From Baboons After an Orthotopic Liver Xenotransplantation

• Published in: Transplantation proceedings 2018-11, Vol.50 (9), p.2842-2846
• Main Authors: Ramis, G., Martínez-Alarcón, L., Medina-Moreno, E., Abellaneda, J.M., Quereda, J.J., Febrero, B., Sáez-Acosta, A., Ríos, A., Muñoz, A., Ramírez, P., Majado, M.J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Heterografts; Humans; Immunoglobulin G - blood; Immunoglobulin G - immunology; Immunoglobulin M - blood; Immunoglobulin M - immunology; Liver Transplantation; Papio; Swine; Transplantation Immunology - immunology; Transplantation, Heterologous
• ISSN: 0041-1345; 1873-2623
• DOI: 10.1016/j.transproceed.2018.03.048

The immunorejection in xenotransplantation has mostly been studied from the host's immune system activation point of view and there is very little information about the graft-vs-host reaction. To validate an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test for porcine IgM and IgG quantitation, the assessment of porcine IgG and IgM in sera samples from baboons after liver orthotopic xenotransplantation or in human plasma after xenotransfusion through pig organs, and to assess the presence of porcine immunoglobulin in a baboon after plasmapheresis to a complete change of plasma after 4 passages through pig liver. Two commercial ELISA kits for pig IgG and IgM quantitation were evaluated for cross reactivity with samples from baboons, Rhesus monkeys, squirrel monkeys, and humans. Then, samples from 18 baboons after orthotopic liver xenotransplantation were studied for porcine IgG and IgM. To understand the phenomenon, human plasma samples after xenotransfusion 1, 2, 3, or 4 times through liver or kidney were assessed for porcine IgG presence and finally, the porcine IgG were quantified in sera samples obtained during more than 4 years from a baboon after plasmapheresis with baboon plasma after xenotransfusion 4 times through a pig liver. Porcine IgG and IgM were found in samples from xenotransplanted baboon during all survival. The quantity of porcine IgG in plasma after xenotransfusion correlated with the number of passages through the pig liver, and the IgG were completely cleared from the baboon 16 days after plasmapheresis and complete substitution of plasma after 4 xenotransfusions through a pig liver. •Porcine IgG and IgM can be found in baboons' sera after liver xenotransplantation.•Porcine IgG can be found in human plasma after xenotransfusion through porcine liver.•Porcine IgG were cleared from baboon sera in 16 days after plasmapheresis.•De novo generation of porcine immunoglobulin is suggested by the present data.