Fig. 6

Changes in serum free triiodothyronine (fT3) after pig-to-baboon organ or artery patch transplantation (n = 26). The serum fT3 showed an immediate and significant decrease (P < 0.001) in all baboons (n = 26) after pig organ transplantation. In baboons that received the IL-6R blocker, tocilizumab (n = 9), the fT3 recovered more rapidly and to a higher level than in baboons that did not receive tocilizumab (n = 17) (day 1, 1.3 vs 0.9 pg/mL, P < 0.05; day 30, 4.0 vs 2.2 pg/mL, P < 0.01; day 60, 4.8 vs 2.6 pg/mL, P < 0.05, respectively). We concluded that IL-6R blockade reduced inflammation, allowing the fT3 to recover more rapidly. (Reprinted with permission from ref. [26])