Page 90 - Read Online

Wang et al. Plast Aesthet Res 2018;5:10 Plastic and
DOI: 10.20517/2347-9264.2017.90 Aesthetic Research

Review Open Access

Reviewing immunosuppressive regimens in
animal models for vascularized composite

allotransplantation

Aline Yen Ling Wang , Charles Yuen Yung Loh 2
1
1 Center for Vascularized Composite Allotransplantation, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan.
2 St Andrew’s Center for Burns and Plastic Surgery, Chelmsford CM1 7TH, UK.

Correspondence to: Dr. Aline Yen Ling Wang, Center for Vascularized Composite Allotransplantation, Chang Gung Memorial
Hospital, 5, Fu-Hsing Street, Gueishan, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan. E-mail: aline2355@yahoo.com.tw

How to cite this article: Wang AYL, Loh CYY. Reviewing immunosuppressive regimens in animal models for vascularized
composite allotransplantation. Plast Aesthet Res 2018;5:10. http://dx.doi.org/10.20517/2347-9264.2017.90
Received: 4 Dec 2017 First Decision: 25 Feb 2018 Revised: 6 Mar 2018 Accepted: 7 Mar 2018 Published: 13 Mar 2018

Science Editor: Raman C. Mahabir Copy Editor: Jun-Yao Li Production Editor: Cai-Hong Wang

Abstract
The development of vascularized composite allotransplantation (VCA) and its clinical need has led to the need for more
animal models to study and perform the research required to further this specialty in terms of functional recovery and
immunomodulatory improvements. Much of the animal models are reported in individual series in the literature but there
has not been a review as such of these models. Here we present a compilation of the animal models reported in the literature
thus far in VCA. A comprehensive review of the literature was performed for any studies which involved the use of animal
models in various aspects of VCA research. The models were organized according to the type of VCA transplant, whether
they were orthotopic or heterotopic, immunosuppressive regimen each study used and investigation purpose. Twenty-one
facial transplant models were reported, 3 abdominal wall transplants, 4 penile transplantations, 21 uterus transplantations,
12 hindlimb transplantations and 4 myocutaneous flap transplantation animal models were reported. Primates, swine, rats,
mice, rabbits, sheep and dog animal models in VCA were also reported. The most used immunosuppressive drugs are
calcineurin inhibitor such as cyclosporin A and tacrolimus in these VCA animal models. They can significantly suppress
lymphocyte function by blocking the phosphatase activity of calcineurin of lymphocytes. They are sometimes used combined
with mycophenolate mofetil or steroids or antilymphocyte serum. The review of existing animal models will allow further
research to be focused in other areas of VCA where there is a current paucity of literature. The immunosuppressive regimens
used in each animal model can also be reviewed to determine which regimen works in which type of animal model which will
save time and resources for future research.

Keywords: Animal models, vascularized composite allotransplantation, immunosuppressive regimens

© The Author(s) 2018. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use,
sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, for any purpose, even commercially, as long
as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license,
and indicate if changes were made.

www.parjournal.net