SKIN ALLOGRAFT-REJECTION AND HYPERBARIC-OXYGEN TREATMENT IN IMMUNE-HISTOINCOMPATIBLE MICE

The effect of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) as an immunosuppressive agent wa s evaluated by using a highly immunogenic skin allograft mouse model. Immune-histoincompatible female C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice (n = 30) were randomly assigned to three groups receiving no treatment (control grou p), low dose HBO treatment (two treatments once a week), and intermedi ate HBO treatment (two treatments 3 times/wk) 1 wk before and 2 wk aft er transplantation of a 1.5 x 2 cm full thickness skin allograft from the back. Rejection was observed at Day 7 and was completed 14 days af ter surgery in controls. Low dose and intermediate HBO treatment delay ed skin allograft rejection, which was histologically confirmed.