The combination of mitomycin-induced blood cells with a temporary treatment of ciclosporin A prolongs allograft survival in vascularized composite allotransplantation.

Background: Vascularized composite allotransplantation (VCA) is a rapidly expanding field of transplantation and provides a potential treatment for complex tissue defects. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) shortly incubated with the antibiotic and chemotherapeutic agent mitomycin C (MMC) can suppress allogeneic T cell response and control allograft rejection in various organ transplantation models. MMC-incubated PBMCs (MICs) are currently being tested in a phase I clinical trial in kidney transplant patients.