Homotransplantation of uterus and ovaries in dogs

Uterine Transplantation in Dogs

“…For example, pigs reject homo grafts of skin or kidney in a conventional manner while rejection of the liver is a slow and sometimes remarkably mild process, being accepted for up to nine months in the absence of any immunosuppressive agent [2]. Al though other tissues and organs have been studied extensively, relatively little information is available regarding the fate of the homotransplanted uterus [7][8][9][10].…”

Experimental uterus transplantation

“…Excluding the early experiments, when dogs were a common animal model [21], initial studies have usually been done in rodents [22,23]. Rodents are commonly used in medical research and although far from a humanlike setting, the knowledge is good concerning immunology, reproductive physiology and genetics making rodents good as an experimental model at a low cost.…”

“…In 1969, aiming to describe rejection patterns of allogeneic transplanted uteri, female (n ¼ 9) and male (n ¼ 5) dogs received a uterus after UTx [21]. The internal iliac vessels of the graft were anastomosed to the internal iliac vessels of the recipient and azathioprine was given post-operatively.…”

Uterine rejection after allogeneic uterus transplantation in the rat is effectively suppressed by tacrolimus

“…Four experimental groups (all with uteri from BN rats) were included: [1] transplanted LW rats treated with tacrolimus (UTx-TAC; n ¼ 7); [2] transplanted LW rats not receiving tacrolimus (UTx-nonTAC; n ¼ 5); [3] BN rats treated with tacrolimus (Sham-TAC; n ¼ 6); and [4] sham-operated BN rats without tacrolimus treatment (Sham-surgery; n ¼ 5). Postoperative care was identical in all groups and consisted of buprenorphine (0.005 mg/kg once a day; Temgesic, Schering-Plough), carprofen (5.0 mg/kg once a day; Rimadyl, Pfizer), low molecular weight heparin (100 IU/kg once a day; Fragmin; Pfizer), and trim-sulfa (100 þ 20 mg/kg once a day; Bimotrim, CEVA Vetpharma).…”

“…S everal studies on transplantation of the uterus with attached oviducts were conducted in dogs in the 1960s-1970s as research efforts to find treatments for uterine and tubal infertility (1,2). The immunosuppressants (IS) used at that time proved not to be able to prevent rejection of these allogeneic uterotubal grafts (3,4).…”