A Mouse Model of Orthotopic Vascularized Aerated Lung Transplantation

Outcomes after lung transplantation are markedly inferior to those after other solid organ transplants. A better understanding of cellular and molecular mechanisms contributing to lung graft injury will be critical to improve outcomes. Advances in this field have been hampered by the lack of a mouse model of lung transplantation. Here, we report a mouse model of vascularized aerated single lung transplantation utilizing cuff techniques. We show that syngeneic grafts have normal histological appearance with minimal infiltration of T lymphocytes. Allogeneic grafts show acute cellular rejection with infiltration of T lymphocytes and recipient‐type antigen presenting cells. Our data show that we have developed a physiological model of lung transplantation in the mouse, which provides ample opportunity for the study of nonimmune and immune mechanisms that contribute to lung allograft injury. This novel model of orthotopic vascularized lung transplantation in the mouse will allow for mechanistic investigations of non‐immunological and immunological lung graft injury.