Name: a modified murine heterotopic heart transplant protocol matching contemporary standards of aseptic technique, anesthesia, and analgesia
Uploaded: 2022-09-28T13:20:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about A Modified Murine Heterotopic Heart Transplant Protocol Matching Contemporary Standards of Aseptic Technique, Anesthesia, and Analgesia at JoVE.com

The authors would like to acknowledge the superb efforts of the animal care staff of the University of Western Australia and of the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, whose dedication and expertise contributed to the feasibility and success of these surgeries.

This research was performed in accordance with the Code of Practice for the Care and Use of Animals for Scientific Purposes15 and approved under Animal Ethics Protocols RA/3/100/1568 and AE173 (The University of Western Australia Animal Ethics Committee and The Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research Animal Ethics Committee, respectively). See the Table of Materials for details regarding all materials, instruments, and animals used in this protocol.
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<ol>
	<li>Mann, F. C., Priestley, J. T., Markowitz, J., Yater, W. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Transplantation+of+the+intact+mammalian+heart.">Transplantation of the intact mammalian heart.</a> Archives of Surgery. 26 (2), 219-224 (1933).</li><li>Neptune, W. B., Cookson, B. A., Bailey, C. P., Appler, R., Rajkowski, F. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Complete+homologous+heart+transplantation.">Complete homologous heart transplantation.</a> A.M.A. Archives of Surgery. 66 (2), 174-178 (1953).</li><li>Downie, H. G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Homotransplantation+of+the+dog+heart.">Homotransplantation of the dog heart.</a> A.M.A. Archives of Surgery. 66 (5), 624-636 (1953).</li><li>Blanco, G., Adam, A., Rodriguezperez, D., Fernandez, A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Complete+homotransplantation+of+canine+heart+and+lungs.">Complete homotransplantation of canine heart and lungs.</a> A.M.A. Archives of Surgery. 76 (1), 20-23 (1958).</li><li>Abbott, C. P., Lindsey, E. S., Creech, O., Dewitt, C. W. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=A+technique+for+heart+transplantation+in+the+rat.">A technique for heart transplantation in the rat.</a> Archives of Surgery. 89, 645-652 (1964).</li><li>Ono, K., Lindsey, E. S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Improved+technique+of+heart+transplantation+in+rats.">Improved technique of heart transplantation in rats.</a> The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery. 57 (2), 225-229 (1969).</li><li>Corry, R. J., Winn, H. J., Russell, P. S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Primarily+vascularized+allografts+of+hearts+in+mice.+The+role+of+H-2D,+H-2K,+and+non-H-2+antigens+in+rejection.">Primarily vascularized allografts of hearts in mice. The role of H-2D, H-2K, and non-H-2 antigens in rejection.</a> Transplantation. 16 (4), 343-350 (1973).</li><li>Joffre, O., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Prevention+of+acute+and+chronic+allograft+rejection+with+CD4+CD25+Foxp3++regulatory+T+lymphocytes.">Prevention of acute and chronic allograft rejection with CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ regulatory T lymphocytes.</a> Nature Medicine. 14 (1), 88-92 (2008).</li><li>Gregori, S., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Regulatory+T+cells+induced+by+1+alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin+D3+and+mycophenolate+mofetil+treatment+mediate+transplantation+tolerance.">Regulatory T cells induced by 1 alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 and mycophenolate mofetil treatment mediate transplantation tolerance.</a> The Journal of Immunology. 167 (4), 1945-1953 (2001).</li><li>Niimi, M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+technique+for+heterotopic+cardiac+transplantation+in+mice:+Experience+of+3000+operations+by+one+surgeon.">The technique for heterotopic cardiac transplantation in mice: Experience of 3000 operations by one surgeon.</a> The Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation. 20 (10), 1123-1128 (2001).</li><li>Hasegawa, T., Visovatti, S. H., Hyman, M. C., Hayasaki, T., Pinsky, D. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Heterotopic+vascularized+murine+cardiac+transplantation+to+study+graft+arteriopathy.">Heterotopic vascularized murine cardiac transplantation to study graft arteriopathy.</a> Nature Protocols. 2 (3), 471-480 (2007).</li><li>Hoogstraten-Miller, S. L., Brown, P. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Techniques+in+aseptic+rodent+surgery.">Techniques in aseptic rodent surgery.</a> Current Protocols in Immunology. 82, 1-14 (2008).</li><li>Navarro, K. L., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Mouse+anesthesia:+The+art+and+science.">Mouse anesthesia: The art and science.</a> ILAR Journal. , (2021).</li><li>Adams, S., Pacharinsak, C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Mouse+anesthesia+and+analgesia.">Mouse anesthesia and analgesia.</a> Current Protocols in Mouse Biology. 5 (1), 51-63 (2015).</li><li>Australian code for the care and use of animals for scientific purposes. NHMRC Available from: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/about-us/publications/australian-code-care-and-use-animals-scientific-purposes">https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/about-us/publications/australian-code-care-and-use-animals-scientific-purposes</a> (2013)</li><li>Prosser, A., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Dynamic+changes+to+tissue-resident+immunity+after+MHC-matched+and+MHC-mismatched+solid+organ+transplantation.">Dynamic changes to tissue-resident immunity after MHC-matched and MHC-mismatched solid organ transplantation.</a> Cell Reports. 35 (7), 109141 (2021).</li></ol>

The murine orthotopic heart transplant model is a robust preclinical model used primarily to investigate the effects of MHC mismatch on the level and nature of immunological rejection and, more recently, the effect of transplantation on the retention of graft tissue-resident immunity16. While initially closely following the Corry et al.7 protocol, we have refined the protocol to incorporate best-practice standards of aseptic technique, analgesia, and anesthesia. The updatin...

We owe much of our understanding of immunology and transplantation to research based on experimental models of solid organ transplantation using animal subjects. Since the first description of vascularized cardiac transplantation in mammals1, such models have contributed to knowledge in wide-ranging domains, including the therapeutic application of hypothermia2, the benefits of using specialized sutures3, and techniques for total lung and heart homotransplantations4. The development of cardiac transplantation models in rats5,6 provided broader scope for immunological experimentation due to the availability of different breeding lines. The substantially wider range of available inbred and mutant mouse strains led Corry et al.7 to develop a technique of murine heterotopic cardiac transplantation due to the considerable advantages that this range brings to transplantation research. This model has been used widely and has contributed to a greater understanding of graft rejection8 and therapeutics9. Since its first description, however, the technique has remained largely unchanged other than some minor technical details such as adjustments to the position of anastomotic sites10,11.
Since the integration of the technique of Corry et al.7 into our experiments, we have identified areas of promise for improving the protocol, namely those of aseptic technique, anesthesia, and analgesia. Improvements in these areas were expected to offer a positive impact on experimental outcomes and improve animal welfare. This has previously been shown when aseptic technique is used in small animal surgeries as it aids in the reduction of postoperative infections12, which not only impacts morbidity and mortality but can also compromise experiments designed to assess the immune response following transplantation surgery. From an anesthesia and analgesic point of view, the use of a refined regimen helps to reduce the cost to animals and balance the ethical argument of this surgical model by mitigating the pain and suffering of experimental subjects. Further, appropriate anesthesia and analgesia limit the pain-associated stress response, improving the quality of postoperative recovery and, ultimately, increasing the surgical success rate13.
With the aim of improving both animal welfare and experimental outcomes, a protocol was developed with adjustments to bridge these gaps. This protocol has been adapted from that originally described by Corry et al.7 with consultation from a veterinary anesthetist and with due consideration for both the effects and duration of effects of the pharmacological interventions utilized in the anesthetic and analgesic regimen. The approach was based on the principles of balanced anesthesia and multimodal analgesia to ensure appropriate perioperative care14. In addition to the application of aseptic technique, the opioid buprenorphine and the local anesthetic bupivacaine were pre-emptively administered. General anesthesia was performed using the inhalant anesthetic agent isoflurane.

<table border="1" fo:keep-together.within-page="1" fo:keep-with-next.within-page="always">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>2030 Rycroft irrigating cannula 30 G</td>
			<td>McFarlane</td>
			<td>56005HU</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Braided surgical silk 7-0</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Bulldog clamp curved - 35 mm&#160;</td>
			<td>Roboz</td>
			<td>RS-7441-5</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Bupivacaine 0.25%&#160;</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Buprenorphine</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Castroviejo needle holder catch curved -&#160; 145 mm</td>
			<td>Haag-Streit</td>
			<td>11.62.15</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Chlorhexidine 5% solution</td>
			<td>Ebos</td>
			<td>JJ61371</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Cotton-tipped applicator - 7.5 cm</td>
			<td>Dove</td>
			<td>SN109510</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Ethanol 70% solution</td>
			<td>Ebos</td>
			<td>WH130192EE</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Gauze 5 x 5 cm white</td>
			<td>Aero</td>
			<td>AGS50</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Gelfoam 80 mm x 125 mm&#160;</td>
			<td>Pfizer</td>
			<td>7481D</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Hair clipper</td>
			<td>Wahl</td>
			<td>9860L</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Heparin 1,000 IU in 1 mL</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Iris SuperCut scissors straight - 11.5 cm&#160;&#160;</td>
			<td>Inka Surgical&#160;</td>
			<td>11550.11</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Isoflurane vaporiser</td>
			<td>Darvall</td>
			<td>9176</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Micro bulldog clamp - 3.7 cm</td>
			<td>Greman</td>
			<td>14119-G</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Micro scissors curved 105 mm&#160;</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Micropore plain paper surgical tape - 2.5 cm wide</td>
			<td>Ebos</td>
			<td>7810L</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Microsurgical scissors - curved tip</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Monofilament polyprolene suture - 5/0</td>
			<td>Surgipro</td>
			<td>P-205-X</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Myweigh i101 Precision Scale 100 g x 0.005 g</td>
			<td>Myweigh</td>
			<td>Kit00053</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Needle - 30 G x 0.5 inch</td>
			<td>BD</td>
			<td>BD304000</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Needleholder 15 cm curved &#34;super fine&#34;</td>
			<td>Surgical Specialists</td>
			<td>ST-B-15-8.2</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Nylene 10/0 x 15 cm on 3.8 mm 3/8 circle round bodied taper (diam 0.07mm) CV300</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Round body suture forceps curved 0.3 mm 120 mm</td>
			<td>B. Braun</td>
			<td>FD281R</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Round body suture forceps straight 0.3 mm 120 mm</td>
			<td>B. Braun</td>
			<td>FD280R</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Round handled vannas spring scissors-str/12.5 cm</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>15400-12</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Spring scissors-Cvd Sm blades</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>15001-08</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Stevens scissors blunt straight 110 mm</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Surgical backboard</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Rigid laminated cardboard. 15 x 15 cm</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Surgical drapes</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Cut into two sizes. 25 cm x 25 cm, and 25 cm x 40 cm&#160;</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Surgical microscope</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Syringe - 1 mL</td>
			<td>BD</td>
			<td>592696</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Syringe - 3 mL</td>
			<td>Leica</td>
			<td>M651</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Toothed forceps</td>
			<td>BD</td>
			<td>309657</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>University of Wisconsin Solution</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Warming pad</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Far infrared warming pad 20 x 25 cm</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Westcott spring scissors</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Yasargil clip applier bayonet</td>
			<td>Aesculap</td>
			<td>FE582K</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Yasargil titanium clip perm 6.6 mm</td>
			<td>Aesculap</td>
			<td>A19FT222T</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Mouse usage</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Strain/SEX/Weight</td>
			<td>Donor</td>
			<td>Recipent</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>BALB/c, female, 19-23 g</td>
			<td>7</td>
			<td>21</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>C57BL/6, female, 17-20 g</td>
			<td>7</td>
			<td>0</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>CD45.1 BALB/c, female, 17-21 g</td>
			<td>5</td>
			<td>0</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

a modified murine heterotopic heart transplant protocol matching contemporary standards of aseptic technique, anesthesia, and analgesia

The development of experimental models of cardiac transplantation in animals has contributed to many advances in the fields of immunology and solid organ transplantation. While the heterotopic vascularized murine cardiac transplantation model was initially utilized in studies of graft rejection using combinations of mismatched inbred mouse strains, access to genetically modified strains and therapeutic modalities can provide powerful new preclinical insights. Fundamentally, the surgical methodology for this technique has not changed since its development, especially with respect to important factors such as aseptic technique, anesthesia, and analgesia, which make material impacts on postsurgical morbidity and mortality. Additionally, improvements in perioperative management are expected to provide improvements in both animal welfare and experimental outcomes. This paper reports upon a protocol developed in collaboration with a subject matter expert in veterinary anesthesia and describes the surgical technique with an emphasis on perioperative management. Additionally, we discuss the implications of these refinements and provide details on troubleshooting critical surgical steps for this procedure.

To determine the effectiveness of the surgical technique in promoting good outcomes of wound healing and mouse recovery, early experiments in the laboratory determined the survival characteristics of a range of heart grafts of variable immunogenicity to the recipient. These included congenic (n = 5) and syngeneic (n = 5) grafts, which share the same major histocompatibility complex (MHC) markers as the recipient, and major mismatch grafts (n = 9), in which the graft and the recipient have different MHC markers. We used d...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about A Modified Murine Heterotopic Heart Transplant Protocol Matching Contemporary Standards of Aseptic Technique, Anesthesia, and Analgesia at JoVE.com

A Modified Murine Heterotopic Heart Transplant Protocol Matching Contemporary Standards of Aseptic Technique, Anesthesia, and Analgesia

The present paper describes a modified technique for heterotopic vascularized cardiac transplantation with updated aseptic technique, analgesia, and anesthesia.

The development of experimental models of cardiac transplantation in animals has contributed to many advances in the fields of immunology and solid organ ...

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