Long-term immunosuppression of rabbits through oral tacrolimus administration.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The absence of well-established immunosuppressed rabbit models poses a significant hurdle in xenograft experiments. Tacrolimus has been identified as a highly promising immunosuppressive agent for rabbits. However, determining the optimal dosage and route of administration to minimize toxicity while maintaining efficacy remains challenging.

Methods

In this study, we investigated the effect of orally administered tacrolimus in rabbits, with an aim to achieve a whole blood target trough level of 3-10 ng/mL, and looked at signs of tissue rejection after the transplantation of a human nerve conduit to repair a severed fibular nerve. An oral dosage range of 0.25-1.5 mg/kg/d was studied for up to 1 year in 63 New Zealand rabbits.

Results

We demonstrated the feasi

SUBMITTER: Thibodeau A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12531108 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature