A study of graft versus host disease using bile duct implants under the kidney capsule.

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Graft versus host disease (GVHD) following histoincompatible bone marrow transplantation may be modelled experimentally using irradiated metallothionein promoter-H-2Kb transgenic mice (MET-Kb mice), reconstituted with syngeneic non-transgenic spleen and lymph node (LN) cells. In this model, inflammation peaks at 3 weeks post-reconstitution, but resolves by 3 months, and is focussed on portal tracts and bile ducts (BD). The aim of this study was to determine if transgene-expressing hepatocytes play a role in the immune response, why portal tracts are selectively targeted, and which cell types are involved. METHODS: Intrahepatic BD (IHBD) with attached hepatocytes, or extrahep..