Methods and Materials: We analyzed the records of all patients who received basiliximab induction from September 1998 through June 2006. These patients were compared to a control group who had the same immunosuppressive protocol (mycophenolate mofetil, cyclo- sporine, and prednisone) without the addition of basiliximab from May 1996 through January 2003. Results: The basiliximab (n=81) and control (n=80) groups were comparable with respect to age, gender, ethnicity, etiology of heart failure, pre-transplant creatinine clearance, ischemic time, and pre- transplant cardiac index. Survival and post-transplant renal function were not affected by basiliximab induction (p=0.45 and p=0.40 respectively; Table 1). However, freedom from acute rejection during the entire study demonstrated a trend (although not statistically significant) towards improvement in the basiliximab group (p=0.14; Table 1). Conclusions: Basiliximab induction does not provide for improved survival or renal function at 1-, 2-, and 3- years post-transplant despite studies demonstrating improved short-term renal function. However, there appears to be a trend towards improved freedom from acute rejection. This is most evident at one year post-transplant and progressively declines after that. This data demonstrates that the benefits of basiliximab induction wane with time as would reasonably be expected with its perioperative dosing schedule. Table 1: 1, 2 & 3 Year Acute Rejection, Creatinine, and Survival Control Basiliximab P-value 1 year 2 year 3 year 1 year 2 year 3 year Freedom From Acute Rejection 74% 63% 62% 87% 80% 75% 0.14 Creatinine Level 1.80.6 1.70.6 1.70.6 1.80.5 1.80.6 1.80.6 0.40 Survival 96% 89% 85% 96% 92% 89% 0.45 472 Recovery of Pulmonary Function with Pumpless Extracorporeal Lung Assist (PECLA) C. Schmid, 1 A. Philipp, 1 S. Hirt, 1 B. Flo ¨rchinger, 1 A. Klose, 1 T. Mueller, 2 K. Lehle, 1 F.-X. Schmid, 1 D. Birnbaum, 1 M. Hilker 1 Dept. of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany; 2 Dept. of Anesthesiology, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany Purpose: In patients with severe respiratory insufficiency, pumpless extracorporeal lung assist (PECLA) can stabilize pulmonary function and allow recovery as well as various surgical procedures. Methods and Materials: Since 1996, 164 patients with an age ranging from 7-78 years were provided with a PECLA system. Fifteen patients were referred to us by air or ground transport after insertion of the system in a city hospital. Results: Mean PECLA support was 7.06.2 days (range 0.1-71 days), cumulative experience was 1220 days. Inability to stabilize pulmo- nary function was noted in 7% of patients only. 88 patients (53%) could be weaned after a mean PECLA support of 8.56.3 days (criteria: FiO 2 .45, PaO 2 80 mmHg). 30 day-mortality post weaning was 18.5%. 35% of patients survived to discharge. Main reasons of death were sepsis (42%) and multi-organ failure (25%). In a subgroup analysis best outcome was obtained in patients following trauma, bacterial pneumonia and aspiration pneumonia. Conclusions: PECLA is a very efficient tool to support patients with deteriorated gas exchange for prolonged periods to allow transpor- tation, surgical procedures and recovery of pulmonary function. 473 Transcriptional Profiling of Short and Long-Term Cultured Mesenchymal Stem Cells from Patients Undergoing CABG M.B. Will, 1 J.C. Mountford, 2 W.N. Keith, 3 A.J. Murday, 1 1 Department of Cardiac Surgery, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, United Kingdom; 2 Section of Experimental Haematology and Haematopoietic Stem Cells, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom; 3 Centre for Oncology and Applied Pharmacology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom Purpose: Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSC’s) are rare and require ex-vivo expansion to generate sufficient cells for autologous cardiac cell therapy. Their ex-vivo proliferative ability is limited and they senesce - a process that may occur quicker in patients with ischaemic heart disease. Our aim was to transcriptionally profile MSC’s from Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG) patients during short and long-term culture to improve understanding of molecular mecha- nisms limiting their proliferation and inform on future expansion protocols. Methods and Materials: MSC’s were derived from sternal bone marrow of 8 CABG patients. SAGE libraries were generated using the I-SAGE Long Kit (Invitrogen). Data analysis was performed using standard bioinformatic methods and GeneGo (MetaCore) software. Validation of candidate genes was performed by qPCR (Taqman, Applied Biosystems). Results: SAGE libraries at Passage 2 and 9 were generated on MSC’s from 1 patient (39877 and 38673 tags respectively). There were 332 (0.8%) differentially expressed tags coding for 234 known genes at p0.05. A clustered network of differentially expressed genes in Passage 9 MSC centres around the transcription factor AP-1 is shown in Fig.1 (Red=up-regulation Blue=down-regulation). Passage 9 cells over-express genes involved in cell adhesion, cytoskeletal remodel- ling and inflammation. Conclusions: Prolonged ex-vivo expansion of MSC’s from CABG patient’s leads to onset of a senescent phenotype and marked transcriptional changes. We have identified candidate genes as bi- omarkers of aged MSC cultures and manipulation of these targets could enhance existing culture protocols. We emphasise the need to characterise MSC’s at the molecular level prior to patient administra- tion. 474 Identification of Cells Expressing the Isl1 Cardiac Progenitor Marker in Miniature Swine A.J. Meltzer, 1 S.L. Houser, 1 J.C. Madsen, 1 K.R. Chien, 2 M.E. Cochrane, 1 J.S. Allan, 3 B.R. Rosengard, 11 Cardiothoracic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA; 2 Cardiovascular Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA S230 Abstracts The Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation February 2008