Systemic Tacrolimus Attenuates Peri-Implant Capsule Formation and Inflammatory/Fibrotic Signaling in a Rat Silicone Implant Model.

BACKGROUND

Capsule formation in contact with silicone implants may vary according to the administration of systemic immunosuppressive drugs.

METHODS

A total of 18 Sprague-Dawley rats that underwent premuscular plane silicone implant insertion were divided into three groups as follows: Group 1, untreated negative control (n = 6); Group 2, treated with tacrolimus (n = 6); and Group 3, treated with dexamethasone as a positive control (n = 6). At 3 months after surgery, the histology and immunochemistry of the capsule tissues were analyzed.

RESULTS

Systemic administration of dexamethasone and tacrolimus successfully reduced capsule thickness and inflammatory marker levels. The aggregation of CD3 (T lymphocytes)- and CD68 (histiocytes)-positive cells around the capsule also reduced.

CONCLUSIONS

This study aimed to evaluate whether systemic immunosuppression with tacrolimus modulates peri-implant capsule formation and key inflammatory/fibrotic pathways in a rat silicone implant model. We focused on histologic capsule thickness and immunohistochemical markers representing innate/adaptive immune activation and myofibroblast-driven fibrosis as surrogate measures of early periprosthetic tissue remodeling.

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