协同信号途径阻断和供体脾细胞输注诱导预存同种记忆性T淋巴细胞大鼠心脏移植物的耐受

Objective To induce the tolerance to cardiac allograft by combined blockade of OX40/OX40L and CD28/B7 co-stimulatory signaling and donor specific spleen cell transfusion in rat mod-els of pre-existent allogenic reactive memory T lymphocytes. Methods Lewis rats that underwent 3 days of adoptive transfer of donor specific CD8+ memory T cells, separated by immunomagnetic bead separation kit, received either separate or combined transfusion of AdCTLA4Ig, AdOX40Ig, donor spleen cells (DST) and transplantations of hearts of DA rats at the same time. Cardiac allografts were taken out 48 h after transplantation for histological analysis and cytokines expression ,and survival time of cardiac allografts with different treatments was observed. Results Compared with AdCTLA4Ig, AdOX40Ig and DST groups, AdCTLA4Ig + AdOX4OIg + DST group showed lower cardiac pathological grade with much lower expression level of IL-2 and IFN-γ,and much longer heart survival time. Conclusion Combined blockade of OX40/ OX40L and CD28/B7 and donor specific spleen cell transfusion could induce rat cardiac graft tolerance.     

协同信号途径阻断和供体脾细胞输注诱导预存同种记忆性T淋巴细胞大鼠心脏移植物的耐受

Objective To induce the tolerance to cardiac allograft by combined blockade of OX40/OX40L and CD28/B7 co-stimulatory signaling and donor specific spleen cell transfusion in rat mod-els of pre-existent allogenic reactive memory T lymphocytes. Methods Lewis rats that underwent 3 days of adoptive transfer of donor specific CD8+ memory T cells, separated by immunomagnetic bead separation kit, received either separate or combined transfusion of AdCTLA4Ig, AdOX40Ig, donor spleen cells (DST) and transplantations of hearts of DA rats at the same time. Cardiac allografts were taken out 48 h after transplantation for histological analysis and cytokines expression ,and survival time of cardiac allografts with different treatments was observed. Results Compared with AdCTLA4Ig, AdOX40Ig and DST groups, AdCTLA4Ig + AdOX4OIg + DST group showed lower cardiac pathological grade with much lower expression level of IL-2 and IFN-γ,and much longer heart survival time. Conclusion Combined blockade of OX40/ OX40L and CD28/B7 and donor specific spleen cell transfusion could induce rat cardiac graft tolerance.     

协同信号途径阻断和供体脾细胞输注诱导预存同种记忆性T淋巴细胞大鼠心脏移植物的耐受

Objective To induce the tolerance to cardiac allograft by combined blockade of OX40/OX40L and CD28/B7 co-stimulatory signaling and donor specific spleen cell transfusion in rat mod-els of pre-existent allogenic reactive memory T lymphocytes. Methods Lewis rats that underwent 3 days of adoptive transfer of donor specific CD8+ memory T cells, separated by immunomagnetic bead separation kit, received either separate or combined transfusion of AdCTLA4Ig, AdOX40Ig, donor spleen cells (DST) and transplantations of hearts of DA rats at the same time. Cardiac allografts were taken out 48 h after transplantation for histological analysis and cytokines expression ,and survival time of cardiac allografts with different treatments was observed. Results Compared with AdCTLA4Ig, AdOX40Ig and DST groups, AdCTLA4Ig + AdOX4OIg + DST group showed lower cardiac pathological grade with much lower expression level of IL-2 and IFN-γ,and much longer heart survival time. Conclusion Combined blockade of OX40/ OX40L and CD28/B7 and donor specific spleen cell transfusion could induce rat cardiac graft tolerance.     

协同信号途径阻断和供体脾细胞输注诱导预存同种记忆性T淋巴细胞大鼠心脏移植物的耐受

Objective To induce the tolerance to cardiac allograft by combined blockade of OX40/OX40L and CD28/B7 co-stimulatory signaling and donor specific spleen cell transfusion in rat mod-els of pre-existent allogenic reactive memory T lymphocytes. Methods Lewis rats that underwent 3 days of adoptive transfer of donor specific CD8+ memory T cells, separated by immunomagnetic bead separation kit, received either separate or combined transfusion of AdCTLA4Ig, AdOX40Ig, donor spleen cells (DST) and transplantations of hearts of DA rats at the same time. Cardiac allografts were taken out 48 h after transplantation for histological analysis and cytokines expression ,and survival time of cardiac allografts with different treatments was observed. Results Compared with AdCTLA4Ig, AdOX40Ig and DST groups, AdCTLA4Ig + AdOX4OIg + DST group showed lower cardiac pathological grade with much lower expression level of IL-2 and IFN-γ,and much longer heart survival time. Conclusion Combined blockade of OX40/ OX40L and CD28/B7 and donor specific spleen cell transfusion could induce rat cardiac graft tolerance.     

协同信号途径阻断和供体脾细胞输注诱导预存同种记忆性T淋巴细胞大鼠心脏移植物的耐受

Objective To induce the tolerance to cardiac allograft by combined blockade of OX40/OX40L and CD28/B7 co-stimulatory signaling and donor specific spleen cell transfusion in rat mod-els of pre-existent allogenic reactive memory T lymphocytes. Methods Lewis rats that underwent 3 days of adoptive transfer of donor specific CD8+ memory T cells, separated by immunomagnetic bead separation kit, received either separate or combined transfusion of AdCTLA4Ig, AdOX40Ig, donor spleen cells (DST) and transplantations of hearts of DA rats at the same time. Cardiac allografts were taken out 48 h after transplantation for histological analysis and cytokines expression ,and survival time of cardiac allografts with different treatments was observed. Results Compared with AdCTLA4Ig, AdOX40Ig and DST groups, AdCTLA4Ig + AdOX4OIg + DST group showed lower cardiac pathological grade with much lower expression level of IL-2 and IFN-γ,and much longer heart survival time. Conclusion Combined blockade of OX40/ OX40L and CD28/B7 and donor specific spleen cell transfusion could induce rat cardiac graft tolerance.     

协同信号途径阻断和供体脾细胞输注诱导预存同种记忆性T淋巴细胞大鼠心脏移植物的耐受

Objective To induce the tolerance to cardiac allograft by combined blockade of OX40/OX40L and CD28/B7 co-stimulatory signaling and donor specific spleen cell transfusion in rat mod-els of pre-existent allogenic reactive memory T lymphocytes. Methods Lewis rats that underwent 3 days of adoptive transfer of donor specific CD8+ memory T cells, separated by immunomagnetic bead separation kit, received either separate or combined transfusion of AdCTLA4Ig, AdOX40Ig, donor spleen cells (DST) and transplantations of hearts of DA rats at the same time. Cardiac allografts were taken out 48 h after transplantation for histological analysis and cytokines expression ,and survival time of cardiac allografts with different treatments was observed. Results Compared with AdCTLA4Ig, AdOX40Ig and DST groups, AdCTLA4Ig + AdOX4OIg + DST group showed lower cardiac pathological grade with much lower expression level of IL-2 and IFN-γ,and much longer heart survival time. Conclusion Combined blockade of OX40/ OX40L and CD28/B7 and donor specific spleen cell transfusion could induce rat cardiac graft tolerance.     

协同信号途径阻断和供体脾细胞输注诱导预存同种记忆性T淋巴细胞大鼠心脏移植物的耐受

Objective To induce the tolerance to cardiac allograft by combined blockade of OX40/OX40L and CD28/B7 co-stimulatory signaling and donor specific spleen cell transfusion in rat mod-els of pre-existent allogenic reactive memory T lymphocytes. Methods Lewis rats that underwent 3 days of adoptive transfer of donor specific CD8+ memory T cells, separated by immunomagnetic bead separation kit, received either separate or combined transfusion of AdCTLA4Ig, AdOX40Ig, donor spleen cells (DST) and transplantations of hearts of DA rats at the same time. Cardiac allografts were taken out 48 h after transplantation for histological analysis and cytokines expression ,and survival time of cardiac allografts with different treatments was observed. Results Compared with AdCTLA4Ig, AdOX40Ig and DST groups, AdCTLA4Ig + AdOX4OIg + DST group showed lower cardiac pathological grade with much lower expression level of IL-2 and IFN-γ,and much longer heart survival time. Conclusion Combined blockade of OX40/ OX40L and CD28/B7 and donor specific spleen cell transfusion could induce rat cardiac graft tolerance.     

协同信号途径阻断和供体脾细胞输注诱导预存同种记忆性T淋巴细胞大鼠心脏移植物的耐受

Objective To induce the tolerance to cardiac allograft by combined blockade of OX40/OX40L and CD28/B7 co-stimulatory signaling and donor specific spleen cell transfusion in rat mod-els of pre-existent allogenic reactive memory T lymphocytes. Methods Lewis rats that underwent 3 days of adoptive transfer of donor specific CD8+ memory T cells, separated by immunomagnetic bead separation kit, received either separate or combined transfusion of AdCTLA4Ig, AdOX40Ig, donor spleen cells (DST) and transplantations of hearts of DA rats at the same time. Cardiac allografts were taken out 48 h after transplantation for histological analysis and cytokines expression ,and survival time of cardiac allografts with different treatments was observed. Results Compared with AdCTLA4Ig, AdOX40Ig and DST groups, AdCTLA4Ig + AdOX4OIg + DST group showed lower cardiac pathological grade with much lower expression level of IL-2 and IFN-γ,and much longer heart survival time. Conclusion Combined blockade of OX40/ OX40L and CD28/B7 and donor specific spleen cell transfusion could induce rat cardiac graft tolerance.     

协同信号途径阻断和供体脾细胞输注诱导预存同种记忆性T淋巴细胞大鼠心脏移植物的耐受

Objective To induce the tolerance to cardiac allograft by combined blockade of OX40/OX40L and CD28/B7 co-stimulatory signaling and donor specific spleen cell transfusion in rat mod-els of pre-existent allogenic reactive memory T lymphocytes. Methods Lewis rats that underwent 3 days of adoptive transfer of donor specific CD8+ memory T cells, separated by immunomagnetic bead separation kit, received either separate or combined transfusion of AdCTLA4Ig, AdOX40Ig, donor spleen cells (DST) and transplantations of hearts of DA rats at the same time. Cardiac allografts were taken out 48 h after transplantation for histological analysis and cytokines expression ,and survival time of cardiac allografts with different treatments was observed. Results Compared with AdCTLA4Ig, AdOX40Ig and DST groups, AdCTLA4Ig + AdOX4OIg + DST group showed lower cardiac pathological grade with much lower expression level of IL-2 and IFN-γ,and much longer heart survival time. Conclusion Combined blockade of OX40/ OX40L and CD28/B7 and donor specific spleen cell transfusion could induce rat cardiac graft tolerance.     

协同信号途径阻断和供体脾细胞输注诱导预存同种记忆性T淋巴细胞大鼠心脏移植物的耐受

Objective To induce the tolerance to cardiac allograft by combined blockade of OX40/OX40L and CD28/B7 co-stimulatory signaling and donor specific spleen cell transfusion in rat mod-els of pre-existent allogenic reactive memory T lymphocytes. Methods Lewis rats that underwent 3 days of adoptive transfer of donor specific CD8+ memory T cells, separated by immunomagnetic bead separation kit, received either separate or combined transfusion of AdCTLA4Ig, AdOX40Ig, donor spleen cells (DST) and transplantations of hearts of DA rats at the same time. Cardiac allografts were taken out 48 h after transplantation for histological analysis and cytokines expression ,and survival time of cardiac allografts with different treatments was observed. Results Compared with AdCTLA4Ig, AdOX40Ig and DST groups, AdCTLA4Ig + AdOX4OIg + DST group showed lower cardiac pathological grade with much lower expression level of IL-2 and IFN-γ,and much longer heart survival time. Conclusion Combined blockade of OX40/ OX40L and CD28/B7 and donor specific spleen cell transfusion could induce rat cardiac graft tolerance.     

Blockade of both CD28/B7 and OX40/OX40L co-stimulatory signal pathways prolongs the survival of islet xenografts

CTLA4Ig, a recombinant fusion protein composed of the extracellular domain of human CTLA4 and the constant region of human IgG1, inhibits the interaction of CD28/B7 pathway by binding the B7 molecule. OX40Ig, a recombinant fusion protein composed of the extracellular domain of human OX40 and the constant region of human IgG1, abrogates the interaction of OX40/OX40L pathway by binding the OX40L on APCs. So blockade of CD28/B7 or OX40/OX40L co-stimulatory pathways alone in mice with CTLA4Ig or OX40Ig can result in finitely prolonging the survival of islet grafts (43.2 +/- 4.81 and 67.7 +/- 7.74 days, respectively). In this study, a novel replication-defective adenovirus containing both of the CTLA4Ig and OX40Ig genes, AdCTLA4Ig-IRES-OX40Ig, was constructed by homologous recombination and injected into the streptozocin-rendered diabetic BalB/c mouse recipients (H-2d) through the tail vein, at the same day, the freshly isolated islets from Lewis rats (RT-1) were transplanted under the left kidney capsule of the recipients. The results showed that the mean survival time of the islet xenografts in the AdCTLA4Ig-IRES-OX40Ig-treated diabetic mice was significantly prolonged (100.3 +/- 14.94 days), while those in the untreated or AdEGFP-treated mice were rejected in normal fashion (6.7 +/- 0.94 and 7.0 +/- 1.0 days, respectively). In conclusion, utilizing AdCTLA4Ig-IRES-OX40Ig in vivo which can simultaneously express CTLA4Ig and OX40Ig proteins can improve the survival of Lewis-->BalB/c islet xenografts.     

Long-term acceptance of rat cardiac allografts on the basis of adenovirus mediated CD40Ig plus CTLA4Ig gene therapies

BACKGROUND: We have previously demonstrated that blockade of either CD80/86-CD28 or CD40-CD154 costimulatory pathways by using adenovirus vector coding CTLA4Ig (AdCTLA4Ig) or CD40Ig (AdCD40Ig) genes induced donor-specific tolerance in rat liver transplantation. In this study, we asked whether these gene-therapy-based costimulation blockade would induce tolerance in cardiac transplantation. METHODS: Heterotopic heart transplantation was performed in a full major histocompatibility complex (MHC) barrier combination of ACI (RT1avl) to Lewis (LEW, RT1l) rats. Vector (1 x 10(9) plaque forming unit [PFU]), AdLacZ, AdCTLA4Ig, or AdCD40Ig, was administered intravenously to recipient animals immediately after grafting, and graft survival, serum CTLA4Ig/CD40Ig levels, and graft histology were assessed. Tolerance was determined by secondary skin-graft challenging. RESULTS: Allografts of both untreated and AdLacZ controls were promptly rejected within 7 days, whereas a single treatment with AdCTLA4Ig or AdCD40Ig significantly prolonged median graft survival to 55.5 and 28.5 days, respectively. In contrast, the combined AdCTLA4Ig and AdCD40Ig gene therapy maintained high CTLA4Ig and CD40Ig levels through the posttransplant period and allowed long-term cardiac allograft survival for more than 270 days. However, both donor and third-party skin grafts were rejected in the animals who harbored cardiac grafts over 150 days. Also, typical features of chronic rejection were evident in the long-term surviving grafts. CONCLUSION: Simultaneous blockade of CD28 and CD154 pathways by AdCTLA4Ig plus AdCD40Ig induces a strong immunosuppression that allows long-term acceptance of full MHC mismatched cardiac graft in rats. This strategy, however, was not enough to induce tolerance to skin grafts and to avoid chronic rejection, as shown in the liver-transplantation model.     

Low-dose donor bone marrow cells and splenocytes plus adenovirus encoding for CTLA4Ig gene promote stable mixed chimerism and long-term survival of rat cardiac allografts

Co-stimulatory blockade combined with donor bone marrow transfusion engenders stable mixed chimerism and robust tolerance to various organ and cell transplants. However, repeated administration of costly agents to block the co-stimulatory pathway and the high doses of donor bone marrow cells (BMCs) used in most protocols are impeding clinical development of this strategy. To circumvent these shortcomings, we developed a plan in which repeated administration of costly agents was replaced by a single injection of adenovirus containing the gene of interest, and the high dose of donor BMCs replaced by a mixture of low-dose donor BMCs and splenocytes (SPLCs). Cardiac allografts from DA(RT-1(a)) rats were transplanted heterotopically into the abdomens of LEW(RT-1(1)) rats. A cocktail of adenovirus containing CTLA4Ig gene (AdCTLA4Ig), donor BMCs (100 x 10(6)), and SPLCs (50 x 10(6)) was administered to recipients via the portal vein immediately after grafting (n = 6). Treatment with regimens, including AdCTLA4Ig only, AdCTLA4Ig plus donor BMCs, and AdCTLA4Ig plus donor SPLCs, significantly prolonged cardiac allograft survival in recipient rats, while animals that received no treatment or treatment with control adenovirus (AdLacZ) promptly rejected their allografts. Nevertheless, LEW recipients treated with AdCTLA4Ig and the mixture of a low dose of donor BMCs and SPLCs developed stable mixed chimerism, rendering them long-term survivors of cardiac allografts that also accepted skin grafts from the donor but not the third-party strain. We conclude that blockade of CD28-B7 pathway with AdCTLA4Ig plus a mixture of low doses of donor BMCs and SPLCs is a feasible strategy to induce long-term mixed chimerism with a potential application for clinical development.     

AdCTLA-4Ig combined with donor splenocytes,bone marrow cells and anti-ICOS antibody treatment induce tolerance in a rat heart transplantation model

It is difficult to induce rat cardiac allograft tolerance by co-stimulator blockade of the B7-CD28 pathway with CTLA-4Ig monotherapy alone. However, combined therapies of AdCTLA-4Ig plus donor-specific spleen-cell infusion, bone marrow cell infusion, and anti–ICOS antibody have been demonstrated to effectively induce indefinite acceptance of rat cardiac allografts. In this report, we compared the tolerance of cardiac allograft tolerant recipients induced by the above three strategies. The results show that treating Lewis recipients of a DA cardiac allograft with a combination of AdCTLA4-Ig and anti-ICOS antibody, donor splenocytes or bone marrow cells produced indefinite graft survival. Second transplantation of donor type skin or heart grafts could not affect the survival of primary heart graft in anti-ICOS treated groups, but results in rejection of primary heart grafts in other two groups, and that co-stimulator blockade, CD28 and ICOS simultaneously with CTLA-4Ig and anti-ICOS antibody, facilitates the development of CD25+ CD4+ regulatory T cells and induces stable transplantation tolerance in the rat cardiac allograft model. This also provides an effective therapy in clinical transplantation for promoting permanent graft survival by generating regulatory T cells.Abbreviations BMC bone marrow cells - ICOS inducible co-stimulator - pfu plaque-forming units - SPC spleen cell     

Primed allospecific T cells prevent the effects of costimulatory blockade on prolonged cardiac allograft survival in mice.

Costimulatory blockade can induce long‐term allograft survival in naïve animals, but may not be as effective in animals with previously primed immune repertoires. We attempted to induce long‐term graft survival in B10.D2 recipients of B10.A cardiac allografts using donor‐specific transfusion (DST) plus anti‐CD40 ligand antibody (αCD40L). Recipients were either naïve mice, or mice previously primed to B10.A or third party alloantigens through engraftment and rejection of skin transplants. Untreated naïve mice rejected cardiac transplants by day 15 and contained a high frequency of primed, donor‐reactive T cells. Donor‐specific transfusion/αCD40L treatment of naïve animals induced long‐term graft survival associated with low frequencies of donor‐reactive T cells. Previous priming of donor‐specific T cells through rejection of B10.A, but not third party, skin grafts prevented the effects of DST/αCD40L on prolonging survival of B10.A hearts. Moreover, adoptive transfer of CD3+, CD4+ or CD8+ T cells from B10.A skin‐graft‐primed animals prevented the effects of DST/αCD40L. The data demonstrate that animals with immune repertoires containing previously primed, donor‐reactive T cells are resistant to the effects of costimulatory blockade. The findings have important implications for ongoing, costimulatory blockade‐based trials in humans, whose T‐cell repertoires are known to contain memory alloreactive T cells.     

抑制记忆性T淋巴细胞共刺激分子OX40延长小鼠胰岛移植物的存活时间

目的 观察抑制记忆性T淋巴细胞共刺激分子OX40延长胰岛移植小鼠存活时间的作用,探讨其作用机制.方法 采用免疫磁珠法制备初始性、类记忆性及记忆性CD8+T淋巴细胞,并采用逆转录聚合酶链反应法检测3种T淋巴细胞上OX40的表达量.将C57BL/6小鼠脾脏T淋巴细胞经尾静脉注射给Rag-/-小鼠.将Rag-/-小鼠分为3组,对照组:给予同型IgG;治疗组:给予抗OX40L单克隆抗体;基因敲除组:输注的T淋巴细胞由OX40基因敲除的C57BL/6小鼠供给.T淋巴细胞输注6周后,使用链脲霉素诱导建立糖尿病模型,然后以DBA/2小鼠为供者,进行胰岛移植,移植后观察和比较3组间胰岛移植物的存活时间.结果 OX40在初始性、类记忆性和记忆性T淋巴细胞上的相对表达量分别为2.87、111.24和146.15,类记忆性和记忆性T淋巴细胞间OX40表达量的差异无统计学意义(P＞0.05),但均显著高于初始性T淋巴细胞(P＜0.01).对照组、治疗组和基因敲除组胰岛移植物的存活时间分别为21、130和125 d,治疗组和基因敲除组间胰岛移植物存活时间的差异无统计学意义(P＞0.05),二者均显著长于对照组(P＜0.05).结论 OX40在记忆性T淋巴细胞表面高表达,且阻断OX40共刺激分子通道可明显延长胰岛移植物的存活时间,抑制OX40/OX40L共刺激通道可能是诱导胰岛移植免疫耐受的关键点之一.

Abstract：

Objective To investigate the role of OX40 in the mechanisms of memory T cells in islet transplant tolerance.Methods The expression of OX40 on native, like memory and memory CD8+T cells was detected by RT-PCR. Splenic T cells from B6 mice were injected into Rag-/- mice via the tail vein, and the Rag-/- mice were divided into three groups (n=8 each): control group, given IgG; treatment group, given anti-OX40L; and OX40 knock-out group, given T cells from OX40 knock-out B6 mice spleen. All recipients were induced into diabetes mellitus model after adoptive transfer. Islet transplantation was performed on all Rag-/- mice as recipients. The mean survival time of islet was observed.Results The expression of OX40 in native T cells, like memory T cells and memory T cells was 2.87, 111.24 and 146.15 respectively. The expression of OX40 in like memory and memory T cells was higher than in native T cells (P<0.05). Comparison with control group , The mean survival time of the DBA/2 islet allografts in treatment group (130 days) and OX40 knock-out group (125 days) was significantly longer than in control group (21 days, P<0.05).Conclusion The OX40 expression is high in memory T cells. The mean survival time of the islet allografts can be prolonged by blocking OX40/OX40L pathway. OX40/OX40L pathway may be the key point of transplant tolerance.     

Adenovirus-mediated OX40Ig gene transfer induces long-term survival of orthotopic liver allograft in rats

BackgroundTo discuss the effect and mechanism of adenovirus-mediated OX40Ig gene transfer in inducing long-term survival of liver allografts in rats.MethodsOrthotopic liver transplantation was performed from Lewis to Brown Norway (BN) rats through the modified two-cuffed technique, and all rats were randomly divided equally into four groups: control, AdEGFP, AdOX40Ig, and FK506. The survival times of the rats were recorded. The rats' liver function, serum cytokines, hepatocyte pathology, OX40Ig protein level, and mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) with or without recombinant interleukin-2 (rIL-2) were evaluated.ResultsCompared with the control and AdEGFP groups, the rats in the AdOX40Ig and FK506 groups survived longer (P < 0.05), experienced less damage to hepatic function (P < 0.05), and showed milder hepatic cellular rejection and less hepatic cellular apoptosis. Interferon (IFN)-γ and IL-2 content in the serum were lower after operation (P < .05) in the AdOX40Ig and FK506 groups. On the contrary, IL-4 and IL-10 content in the serum was higher after operation (P < 0.05) in the AdOX40Ig and FK506 groups. OX40Ig protein was significantly expressed in the AdOX40Ig group and reached the highest level on the 7th day after operation. With respect to the MLR between BN and Lewis rats, the AdOX40Ig group showed a lighter reaction for the same strain than the control and AdEGFP groups (P < 0.05), which is different from the MLR between BN and F344 rats. After adding rIL-2 to the MLR system between BN rats in the AdOX40Ig group and Lewis rats, MLR was aggravated.ConclusionThrough OX40/OX4OL pathways, OX40Ig created an immunosuppressive effect after liver transplantation in rats. This immunosuppressive effect is associated with reduced IL-2 and can be reversed by adding IL-2 with antigen specificity.     

Gene therapy-mediated CD40L and CD28 co-stimulatory signaling blockade plus transient anti-xenograft antibody suppression induces long-term acceptance of cardiac xenografts

BACKGROUND: The authors have previously demonstrated that inhibition of CD28 and CD40 ligand (CD40L) co-stimulatory signals by adenovirus-mediated cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated (CTL) antigen 4 (A4) immunoglobulin (Ig) and CD40Ig gene therapies induces tolerance or long-term acceptance in rat liver and heart allograft transplantation. In this study, the authors examined whether co-stimulation blockade with a brief course treatment of FK779, a novel leflunomide derivative, would be an ideal strategy for controlling xenograft rejection. METHODS: Hamster hearts were transplanted into Lewis rats. Adenovirus vector coding (Ad) CD40Ig, CTLA4Ig, or LacZ gene (1 x 10(9) plaque-forming units) was administered intravenously to recipient rats 2 days before or immediately after xenografting. FK779 (10 mg/kg/day) was administered orally to recipients for 7 days beginning on day -1. Graft survival, graft histology, and xenoreactive antibodies were examined. RESULTS.: Both untreated and AdLacZ-treated control rats rejected cardiac xenografts, with a median survival time (MST) of 3 days. Co-stimulatory blockade alone by AdCTLA4Ig, AdCD40Ig, or both could not overcome such delayed xenograft rejection (DXR) (MST, 3-4 days). Under a short-course FK779 treatment that suppressed T-cell-independent xenoreactive antibodies, administration of AdCD40Ig (MST, 30.5 days) but not AdCTLA4Ig (MST, 9 days) significantly prolonged xenograft survival as compared with the FK779 monotherapy (MST, 7 days). In contrast, DXR and cellular rejection were controlled successfully and all xenografts were accepted for over 100 days when AdCTLA4Ig and AdCD40Ig were administered under FK779 induction therapy. However, chronic rejection was present in all long-term surviving xenografts. CONCLUSIONS.: Gene therapy-based co-stimulation blockade with FK779 induction treatment seems to be an attractive strategy with which to control xenograft rejection.     

RNAi对大鼠T淋巴细胞CD28和OX40基因表达的联合抑制作用

目的 通过RNAi技术干扰T细胞CD28、CD134基因表达后,诱导获得抑制性T细胞(Ts);探讨Ts免疫学特性.方法 设计针对目标基因的siRNA,转染大鼠T淋巴细胞,FCM检测CD28、CD134水平,混合淋巴细胞反应(MLR)检测转染后的T淋巴细胞对异体淋巴细胞的增殖能力的影响,逆转录-聚合酶链反应(RT-PCR)及酶联免疫吸附试验(ELISA)法检测细胞因子水平.结果 siRNA转染大鼠T淋巴细胞后,抑制CD28、CD134分子的表达,siRNA转染24 h后,siRNA组CD28、CD134表达受到抑制[转染后及转染前表达分别为(22.35±4.37)%及(34.76±3.51)%(P<0.05)],T淋巴细胞分泌细胞因子IL-10水平增高,转染组及未转染组表达分别为(77.15±12.60)ng/L及(37.56±5.93)ng/L(P<0.01).而转染组及未转染组的IL-2表达分别为(2.79±0.51)及(4.35±1.11)ng/L(P<0.05);干扰素(IFN)-γ表达分别为(277.15±14.8)、(682.7±53.5)ng/L(P<0.05).结论 siRNA可以特异性抑制大鼠T淋巴细胞共刺激分子CD28、CD134基因表达,抑制了IL-2、IFN-γ的表达,提高了IL-10细胞因子表达水平,从而产生了免疫耐受效应.Ts细胞具有抗原特异性,而且在外源性rrIL-2存在时,不能逆转Ts细胞的功能.