Background. The hyperacute rejection induced by natural antibodies is the f
irst; barrier to the success of pig to human organ xenotransplantation, Whe
n this barrier is overcome, an infiltrate of mainly monocytes and natural k
iller cells can be observed. Nitric oxide (NO) has been described to be inv
olved in allo- and xenorejection, and to participate in tbe regulation of m
onocyte infiltration in other models.
Methods, We have studied the capacity of human monocytes and natural antibo
dies to induce the production of NO by pig endothelial cells, by measuring
NO2, a stable end product of NO.
Results. Human monocytes can induce HuProVim (HUP), a pig endothelial line,
and "in situ, ex vive" pig endothelial cells to produce NO2. This NO2 prod
uction was inhibited by N-G-nitro-L-arginine-methylester and N-G-monomethyl
-L-arginine, inhibitors of NO production. This induction can be observed ev
en if cells are separated by a semipermeable membrane, which indicates that
it is a result of soluble factors. Activated cells continue producing NO a
fter triggering for 1 hr. No NO2 production was observed after activation o
f HUP cells with recombinant human interleukin (IL)-1 alpha, IL-1 beta, IL-
6, IL-10, transforming growth factor-beta 1, IL-2, IL-4, interferon-gamma,
or recombinant human tumor necrosis factor-alpha (rhTNF-alpha) alone. Only
the combination of rhTNF-alpha+rIL-1 alpha or rIL-1 beta, and rhTNF-alpha+r
IL-1 alpha+IFN-gamma induces some NO production, Human natural anti-pig ant
ibodies, which had been described to induce cytoskeleton changes on endothe
lial cells, do not induce NO production.
Conclusions. Our data show that human monocytes induce the production of NO
by gig endothelial cells. The inducing signal is soluble and cannot be pro
vided by human anti-pig natural antibodies.