Treatment with antithymocyte globulin ameliorates intestinal ischemia and reperfusion injury in mice

Background: Antithymocyte therapy, specifically antithymocyte globulin (ATG; Thymoglobulin), is increasingly being used in organ transplantation to reduce allograft rejection. The T-lymphocyte has been purported to also play a role in ischemia and reperfusion injury (IRI); however, it has not been well studied. Our aim is to determine if ATG treatment impacts murine intestinal IRI. Methods: Under anesthesia, male C57BL6 mice underwent 100 minutes of warm intestinal IRI by clamping the superior mesenteric artery. The treatment group received rabbit anti-murine ATG (10 mg/kg) intraperitoneally 6 hours before IRI. Separate survival and analysis groups were performed. Intestinal tissue was procured at 4 and 24 hours after IRI. Tissue analysis included hematoxylin-eosin staining, CD3, CD4, and CD8 immunostaining, myeloperoxidase assay (MPO), quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction studies, and Western blot. Results: ATG treatment led to marked improvement in 7-day survival and a reduction in tissue injury by histology. MPO was also reduced, and immunostaining confirmed a significant reduction in CD3⁺, CD4 ⁺, and CD8⁺ infiltrating cells in the treatment group. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis revealed the decreased expression of tumor necrosis factor-α, interferon-inducible protein 10, monocyte chemotactic protein-1, interferon-γ, interleukin-2, and increased production of interleukins -13 and -10 in the treatment group. Western blot analysis revealed decreased caspase-3 and increased signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 levels in the ATG-treated group. Conclusion: This study is the first to show that ATG treatment ameliorates intestinal IRI. Treatment with ATG leads to reduced local infiltration by T-lymphocytes, with fewer inflammatory and chemotactic programs and less apoptosis. Treatment also is associated with a T_H2-type cytokine switch. These novel findings suggest that T-lymphocytes represent important mediators of intestinal IRI and that ATG therapies may be beneficial in the prevention of IRI.