Objectives: To measure tumor necrosis factors-alpha (TNF alpha) in rats on the 3rd, 64d days after orthotopic rat liver transplantation, and detect the expression of TNF alpha mRNA in the grafts.
Method: Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used.
Results: The TNF alpha serum levels on postoperative day 3, 6 were significantly higher in allograft group than in isogeneic graft group. RT-PCR analysis revealed that TNF alpha mRNA was present in allografts, while no TNF alpha mRNA expression occurred in isogeneic grafts. Our findings supported that TNF alpha plays an important role in the pathogenesis of acute allograft rejection, and suggested that sequential determinations of TNF alpha after operation may be of value in the prediction and diagnosis of acute rejection.