The assessment of human erythroid output in NOD/SCID mice reconstituted with human hematopoietic stem cells

The third-generation NOD/LtSz-scid/IL2Rγ(null) (NOD/SCID IL2Rγ(null)) mouse represents a significantly improved xenograft model allowing high levels of human leukocyte engraftment over extended follow up. One remaining limitation of this mouse model, however, is the low level of circulating human erythrocytes. We established a practical ex vivo erythroid culture system of xenograft marrow progenitors to enrich for human erythroid progeny. At various time points after transplant, erythroid cells were easily assayed after 17 days of ex vivo culture of xenograft marrow, with nearly all nucleated cells of human origin and approximately 60% human GPA or CD71 positive. We then transplanted cord blood CD34(+) cells marked with a lentiviral vector encoding green fluorescent protein (GFP). Three months later, ex vivo culture of xenograft marrow progenitors showed 41.3% of the cultured erythroid cells were positive for GFP and human CD71, and 56.2% were positive for GFP and human GPA, similar to that of circulating leukocytes at the same time point. Next, G-CSF mobilized peripheral blood CD34(+) cells from a sickle cell trait subject were infused in this mouse model to determine if the hemoglobin pattern could be modeled. CD34(+) cells from the sickle cell trait subject engrafted equally compared to CD34(+) cells from normal subjects, establishing the sickle cell trait phenotype. Lastly, a comparison of adult-derived peripheral blood CD34(+) cells and cord blood-derived CD34(+) cells xenografted mice was made, and long term follow-up demonstrated a recapitulation of the fetal to adult hemoglobin switch. This approach should prove a useful tool for testing strategies for genetic manipulation of erythroid progeny and the study of hemoglobin switching.     

Lympho-myeloid chimerism achieved by spleen graft of green fluorescent protein transgenic rat in a combined pancreas transplantation model (TI03-029)

BACKGROUND: Multilineage chimerism is a promising strategy to induce donor-specific tolerance. Because the beneficial effect of splenic grafting on tolerance induction is well known, we studied long-term hematopoietic chimerism and the fate of donor-derived cells after allogenic pancreas/spleen transplantation. METHODS: Green fluorescent protein (GFP) transgenic (Tg) Wistar rats were donors and combined pancreas/spleen transplantation (PST) or pancreas transplantation (PT) alone was performed on recipient LEW rats. Graft survival was compared between these two groups and the fate of donor-derived GFP(+) cells was analyzed by flow cytometry. In this system, the donor-derived cells were clearly defined as having lymphocytic or granulocytic lineage by cell size. T-cell subsets of GFP(+) and GFP(-) cells in long graft-surviving rats were also characterized. RESULTS: The survival period of the grafted pancreas in PST rats was significantly longer than that of PT rats (P<0.001). Three of seven PST rats survived >250 days. The chimeric level of donor-derived GFP(+) cells in the recipient peripheral blood was markedly higher in PST rats. In rats with long-surviving grafts, overall peripheral blood chimerism was more than 5%, and both lymphocytes and granulocytes generated from the grafted spleen were stable. T-cell subsets in the recipient LEW rats varied according to the type of cells. CD4(+)CD8(+) subsets decreased in the GFP(+) cells and CD4(-)CD8(+) subsets increased in the GFP(-) (LEW) cells. CONCLUSION: We confirmed the combination effect of the grafted spleen on pancreatic graft survival. Donor lymphocytic and granulocytic lineages were generated in the recipients with long-surviving graft. It suggested that multilineage chimerism was often induced by the spleen graft and protected the pancreatic graft against rejection for a long period.     

大鼠肝卵圆细胞的分离与鉴定

目的：分离、培养和鉴定大鼠卵圆细胞。方法：以3'-me-DAB刺激卵圆细胞迅速增生,改良梯度离心法分离、培养大鼠卵圆细胞,观察其形态及增值特点并进行细胞免疫组织化学鉴定。结果：改良的梯度离心的方法能够有效地分离大鼠肝卵圆细胞,卵圆细胞胞体为卵圆形,代谢缓慢,具有干细胞的特点,可以形成集落,并且表达OV6、CD34及Nestin。结论：改良梯度离心法分离的细胞具有干细胞的特点,可以表达卵圆细胞特异性的表面标记OV6、造血干细胞表面标记CD34和神经中间丝蛋白Nestin,具有横向分化的可塑性,为进一步实验研究提供参考依据。     

Long-lasting donor passenger leukocytes after hepatic and intestinal transplantation in rats

BACKGROUND: Donor passenger leukocytes (DPLs) that migrate after organ transplantation stimulate the recipient immune system and normally cause rejection and graft vs. host reaction. However, DPLs also contribute to the unresponsiveness to the donor organ. The quantity and quality of these migrating cells are considered dependent on individual transplanted organs. We compared the DPLs of the liver, which might contain somatic stem cells, with those of intestinal grafts that have highly immunogenetic cells. To study DPLs over a long period, we used green fluorescent protein (GFP) transgenic (Tg) rats developed by us as donors. METHODS: We performed orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) and small bowel transplantation (SBT) from GFP Tg rats to wild recipients. A short course of tacrolimus (0.64 mg/kg, intramuscularly) was used to prevent antigenicity of the GFP. The fate of the DPLs in the peripheral blood and the recipient bone marrow was monitored by flow cytometry. Using long-surviving recipients, the GFP(+) cells in the graft and various host immunologic organs were measured and characterized by immunohistochemical staining. RESULTS: In both groups, the numbers of the GFP(+) cells in the peripheral blood increased transiently and then gradually decreased to undetectable levels. While no GFP(+) cells were identified in the long-surviving-recipient bone marrow, there were a few GFP(+) cells in the graft liver, graft mesenteric lymph nodes and the recipient spleen. These cells showed major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II antigen. There was no significant difference in the migration patterns of the GFP(+) cells in the OLT and SBT rats. CONCLUSIONS: In both the OLT and SBT groups, the DPLs migrated transiently in the recipient peripheral blood. A small numbers of MHC class II-positive DPLs were present at the graft site and in the host spleen, but not in the bone marrow. There were no significant differences in the migration patterns of the DPLs between the OLT and SBT rats over the long term.     

大鼠肝卵圆细胞的分离培养和体外分化研究

目的 观察大鼠肝卵圆细胞的活化，为进一步研究肝卵圆细胞特征建立简单的分离培养方法。方法 利用2-乙酰氨基笏／部分肝切除建立肝卵圆细胞活化的大鼠模型，采用选择性消化法从该模型中分离纯化肝卵圆细胞，并做免疫细胞荧光鉴定。用丁酸钠诱导其分化。结果 成功地建立了肝卵圆细胞活化模型，并从中分离培养了表达OV6、CK19、AFP、白蛋白、c-kit、Thy1、CD45和CD34的卵圆细胞。在丁酸钠刺激下它可向肝细胞分化。结论 利用选择性消化法可以分离到肝卵圆细胞，并且其具有肝干细胞的特征。     

Growth ability and repopulation efficiency of transplanted hepatic stem cells, progenitor cells, and mature hepatocytes in retrorsine-treated rat livers

Cell-based therapies as an alternative to liver transplantation have been anticipated for the treatment of potentially fatal liver diseases. Not only mature hepatocytes (MHs) but also hepatic stem/progenitor cells are considered as candidate cell sources. However, whether the stem/progenitor cells have an advantage to engraft and repopulate the recipient liver compared with MHs has not been comprehensively assessed. Therefore, we used Thy1(+) (oval) and CD44(+) (small hepatocytes) cells isolated from GalN-treated rat livers as hepatic stem and progenitor cells, respectively. Cells from dipeptidylpeptidase IV (DPPIV)(+) rat livers were transplanted into DPPIV(-) livers treated with retrorsine following partial hepatectomy. Both stem and progenitor cells could differentiate into hepatocytes in host livers. In addition, the growth of the progenitor cells was faster than that of MHs until days 14. However, their repopulation efficiency in the long term was very low, since the survival period of the progenitor cells was much shorter than that of MHs. Most foci derived from Thy1(+) cells disappeared within 2 months. Many cells expressed senescence-associated β-galactosidase in 33% of CD44-derived foci at day 60, whereas the expression was observed in 13% of MH-derived ones. The short life of the cells may be due to their cellular senescence. On the other hand, the incorporation of sinusoidal endothelial cells into foci and sinusoid formation, which might be correlated to hepatic maturation, was completed faster in MH-derived foci than in CD44-derived ones. The survival of donor cells may have a close relation to not only early integration into hepatic plates but also the differentiated state of the cells at the time of transplantation.     

The phenotypic characteristic of liver-derived stem cells from adult human deceased donor liver

Liver transplantation is the only effective treatment for end-stage liver disease. Because of the limited donor availability, attention has been focused on the possibility to restore liver mass and function through cell transplantation. Stem cells are a promising source for liver repopulation after cell transplantation, but whether or not the adult liver contains hepatic stem cells is highly controversial. Several studies have suggested the presence of stem cells in the adult normal human liver. However, a population with stem cell properties has not yet been isolated. The purpose of this study was to identify and characterize progenitor cells in normal adult human liver. We isolated and expanded human liver stem cells (HLSCs) from a donated liver not suitable for liver transplantation or characterizing them by fluorescence-activated cell sorter, polymerase chain reaction, and immunofluorescence assay. HLSCs expressed the mesenchymal stem cell markers CD29, CD73, CD44, CD90, CD105, and CD166 but not the hematopoietic stem cell markers CD34, CD45, and CD117. HLSCs were also positive for vimentin and nestin, a stem cell marker. The absence of staining for cytokeratin-19, CD117, and CD34 indicated that HLSCs were not oval stem cells. In addition, HLSCs expressed CD26, and in a small percentage of cells, cytokeratin-8 and cytokeratin-18, indicating a partial commitment to hepatic cells. We concluded that HLSCs expressed several mesenchymal but not hematopoietic stem cell markers as well as CD26 and CK18, indicating a partial commitment to hepatic cells.     

Safety and efficacy of autologous bone marrow stem cell transplantation through hepatic artery for the treatment of chronic liver failure: a preliminary study

This study was performed to determine the safety and tolerability of injecting autologous bone marrow stem cells (BMC) (CD34+) into four patients with liver insufficiency. The study was based on the hypothesis that the CD34+ cell population in granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) mobilized blood and autologous bone marrow contains a subpopulation of cells with the potential for regenerating damaged tissue. We separated the CD34+ stem cell population from the bone marrow. The potential of the BMC to differentiate into hepatocytes and other cell lineages has already been reported. Several reports have also demonstrated the plasticity of hematopoietic stem cells to differentiate into hepatocytes. Recently Sakaida demonstrated reduction in fibrosis in chemically induced liver cirrhosis following BMC transplantation. From a therapeutic point of view, chronic liver cirrhosis is one of the targets for BMC transplantation. In this condition, there is excessive deposition of extracellular matrix and hepatocyte necrosis. Encouraged by this evidence that the CD34+ cell population contains cells with the potential to form hepatocyte-like elements, four patients with liver insufficiency were given G-CSF to mobilize stem cells. CD34+ cells (0.1 x 10(8)) were injected into the hepatic artery. No complications or specific side effects related to the procedure were observed; four patients showed improvements in serum albumin, bilirubin and ALT after one month from the cell infusion.     

Adult endothelial progenitor cells retain hematopoiesis potential

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are derived from endothelium in the aortic-gonado-mesonephric (AGM) region during embryogenesis. But little is known about whether endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) retain hematopoiesis potential after birth. In this study, we isolated adult EPCs from the bone marrow of C57BL/6 mice and identified them with an endothelial functional assay and by the CD31(+) CD133(+) CD45(-/dim) VEGFR2(+) phenotype. EPCs isolated from green fluorescence protein (GFP) transgenic C57BL/6 mice were cotransfused with bone marrow cells from wild-type C57BL/6 mice into lethally irradiated BABL/c mice. One month after transplantation, granulocytes (25.73 ± 5.43%) and lymphocytes (12.68 ± 3.26%) in peripheral blood showed GFP(+), referred to as donor EPC-derived blood cells. After an additional month, the percentage of GFP(+) granulocytes decreased to (3.69 ± 1.43%), whereas the percentage of GFP(+) lymphocytes showed no significant difference. Most of the GFP(+) elements showed a diffuse distribution in the spleen; but some were present as aggregates forming lymphoid nodules. GFP(+) endothelial cells were observed in the liver sinusoids, intestinal villi, and lung of recipient mice. These results indicated that adult EPCs not only took part in vasculogenesis, but also retained hematopoietic ability.     

"Firefly rats" as an organ/cellular source for long-term in vivo bioluminescent imaging

BACKGROUND: Transplantation research involving the use of stem cells demands an appropriate in vivo visualization system to monitor cellular fate over an observation period. The new field of in vivo imaging is being developed with fluorescent and luminescent biotechnology, and involves the real-time visualization of complex cellular processes in living animals. METHODS.: Following our recent development of inbred green fluorescent protein (GFP)-transgenic (Tg) rats, we created the establishment of inbred (Lewis) Tg rats with firefly luciferase. The immunogenicity against luciferase was evaluated by the skin grafting test, and the fate of grafts was monitored by in vivo luminescent technique. RESULTS.: The luciferase-Tg rats ubiquitously expressed the marker gene. Conventional skin grafting apparently showed the long-term acceptance of luciferase-Tg rat skin on wild-type rats (>100 days), compared with grafting of GFP-Tg-derived skin (<10 days). This suggests less cellular immune responsiveness against the luciferase protein than GFP. Strikingly, organ transplants with heart and small bowel, and bone marrow cell transplantation showed viability and graft acceptance, demonstrating that cells and organs from luciferase-Tg rats are transplantable and their fate can be tracked for a sufficient time. Taking advantage of less immunogenic luciferase, cellular fate of transplanted mature hepatocytes was also examined. Transplanted hepatocytes proliferated and were monitored selectively in damaged liver, but not in healthy liver, for over 60 days. CONCLUSIONS: We propose on the basis of these findings that the luciferase-Tg rat system with modern optical imaging offers a new platform for a better understanding of stem cell biology and transplantation.     

Adoptive transfusion of ex vivo donor alloantigen-stimulated CD4(+)CD25(+) regulatory T cells ameliorates rejection of DA-to-Lewis rat liver transplantation

BACKGROUND: Adoptive transfusion of splenocytes from long-term survivors of a tolerance model of rat orthotopic liver transplantation can induce acceptance of liver allografts in a rejection model preconditioned with donor gamma-irradiation before liver transplantation. Recent studies suggest that the regulatory T cells (Treg cells) in splenocytes from long-term survivors play an important role in the induction of liver graft tolerance, but this observation was made from a rejection model preconditioned with donor gamma-irradiation; little is known about the role of Treg cells in liver graft rejection using a naive rejection model. In this study, we examined the therapeutic potential of CD4(+)CD25(+) Treg cells in a naive rejection model of rat liver transplantation. METHODS: Freshly isolated or ex vivo alloantigen-stimulated CD4(+)CD25(+) Treg cells (1 x 10(6) cells) from naive Lewis RT(1) (LEW) rats were adoptively transferred into another LEW rat on days 1 and 7 after liver transplantation from a Dark Agouti RT1(a) (DA) rat. Recipients were treated with or without oral tacrolimus (FK506) (0.1 mg/kg/day) from days 1 to 7 after transplantation. For ex vivo alloantigen-stimulation, CD4(+)CD25(+) Treg cells from LEW rats were cocultured with mitomycin C-treated DA (donor alloantigen specific) or Brown Norway (BN)(RT1(n), third party) splenocytes for 72 hours. Ex vivo alloantigen-specific CD4(+)CD25(-) T-cell proliferation responses were assessed with fresh and stimulated CD4(+)CD25(+) Treg cells. RESULTS: Freshly isolated, donor alloantigen-stimulated and third-party alloantigen- stimulated CD4(+)CD25(+) Treg cells suppressed antigen-specific CD4(+)CD25(-) T-cell proliferation ex vivo, and adoptive transfusion of these 3 kinds of CD4(+)CD25(+) Treg cells prolonged survival of the liver allografts. The group transfused with the donor alloantigen-stimulated CD4(+)CD25(+) Treg cells had the greatest mean survival among the 3 groups (fresh Treg cells, 21 +/- 2 days, n = 6; third-party alloantigen-stimulated Treg cells, 20 +/- 2 days, n = 6; donor alloantigen-stimulated Treg cells, 30 +/- 2 days, n = 6). When combined with short-term tacrolimus administration, adoptive transfusion of donor antigen-stimulated Treg cells induced the greatest survival time in recipients (greater than 60 days; n = 6). CONCLUSION: Adoptive transfusion of ex vivo donor alloantigen-stimulated CD4(+)CD25(+) Treg cells combined with short-term tacrolimus treatment may represent a new strategy for preventing rejection after liver transplantation.     

肝卵圆细胞对大鼠肝硬化组织TGFβ/smad信号传导的影响

【摘要】〓目的〓探讨肝卵圆细胞对TGFβ/smad信号传导通路影响的机制,并证明肝卵圆细胞对肝硬化的发展是否有阻止和逆转的作用。方法〓对肝卵圆细胞进行增殖、分离、培养后,移植于肝硬化大鼠肝脏组织,以未经移植的大鼠做对照,分别进行组织病理学和肝功能及蛋白表达水平的检测,分析ALB、AST、ALT、TGFβ1、TGFβRⅡ、Smad2、Smad4 、Smad7的情况。结果〓移植肝卵圆细胞的鼠肝硬化组织纤维化减少,肝功能明显改善(P<0.05),肝硬化组织TGFβ/smad信号通路中各蛋白表达量有差异。结论〓肝卵圆细胞刺激肝硬化细胞后TGFβ/smad信号通路中各蛋白的表达是不同的,肝卵圆细胞对肝硬化组织有阻止和逆转的作用。     

慢性肝损伤时肝内干细胞的增殖

目的：采用免疫组织化学的方法研究慢性肝损伤时肝干细胞在肝脏内的分布和增值,初步探讨肝脏的损伤修复与肿瘤发生的细胞生物学机制。方法：3,-me-DAB喂食大鼠四周,建立应激模型刺激大鼠肝内干细胞的迅速增殖,取材、固定制成石蜡切片,ABC法检测肝干细胞特异性的表面标记蛋白CD34、C-11、CK19、OV6和神经前体细胞的特异性表面标记Nestin在大鼠肝脏内的表达。结果：大鼠肝实质结构改变显著,汇管区内结缔组织细胞大量增生,浸润周围肝组织形成假小叶。靠近界板处断续的排列着卵圆样细胞分别表达CD34、CK19、OV6和Nestin,阳性细胞的形态和分布特点相似,而且具有典型的干细胞的特点。此外,肝实质内可见大量的单个核样干细胞分别表达OV6、CD34、Nestin和CK19。这些细胞类似造血系统来源的单核细胞分布在肝索、肝血窦、肝内血管、增生的小叶间胆管和胆管之间,多见于汇管区的结缔组织内。结论：3’-me-DAB作用后,肝内存在着多种干细胞,而且具有空间分布的规律性。增生的干细胞在损伤应激下继续增殖分化为肝实质细胞,参与肝脏的组织修复,同时成为引发肝脏肿瘤的可能原因之一,具体机制还需要进一步的深入研究。     

Differentiation of hematopoietic stem cells into hepatocytes in liver fibrosis in rats

It has been reported that hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) can differentiate into hepatocytes in the normal liver and in some pathologic environments. The aim of this study was to investigate whether HSC can differentiate into hepatocytes in cases of established liver fibrosis. Rat liver fibrosis was induced by subcutaneous injection of tetrachloride (CCl4). Thy+ CD3- CD45RA- HSC in bone marrow cells, which had been enriched by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS), were labeled with PKH26-GL, and autologously transplanted into CCl4-treated rats. The expressions of albumin (Alb), cytokeratin 8 (CK8), and alpha-smooth muscle actin (SMA) were determined by immunofluorescence methods. The PKH26-GL labeled Thy+ CD3- CD45RA- HSC expressed the hepatocyte-specific markers Alb and CK8, but did not express alpha-SMA in liver fibrosis. Thy+ CD3- CD45RA- HSC differentiated into hepatocytes, but not into hepatic stellate cells. In conclusion, autologous stem cell transplantation may be helpful to treat hepatic fibrosis.     

大鼠肝干细胞定位及形态学特征研究

目的 研究大鼠肝干细胞在肝脏的定位及其形态学特征。方法采用3’-甲基-4-二甲基偶氮苯诱癌建立大鼠肝癌模型,于造模第4周取肝脏组织进行免疫组织化学染色定位,同时分离干细胞,采用相差显微镜摄像、透射和扫描电镜摄像对分离的细胞进行形态学观察。结果 组织免疫化学发现细胞角蛋白(CK)18、19、CD_(34)、c-kit阳性。从成体大鼠肝脏分离的肝干细胞体积小、外形及胞核为圆形或椭圆形,可以稳定传代,细胞形态不发生改变;结论 成体大鼠肝干细胞位于汇管区,肝干细胞的成功培养为研究肝干细胞的生物学特性和临床应用提供了理论依据。     

Selective proliferation of chemically altered rat liver epithelial cells following hepatic transplantation

Although proliferation of oval cells is often observed during the early stages of chemical hepatocarcinogenesis, the role of these putative hepatic stem cells during the neoplastic process is unknown. In earlier studies our laboratory showed that feeding a choline-deficient (CD) diet containing 0.05% 2-acetylaminofluorene (CD-AAF) to rats produced three subpopulations of oval cells that antigenically resemble biliary duct cells, fetal liver cells, and transitional cells. In the present investigation we have employed a semiallogeneic transplantation protocol in order to study the fate of these nonparenchymal epithelial cells (NPEC) beyond the 4-week endpoint imposed by the lethality of CD-AAF diet. An enriched NPEC suspension containing gamma-glutamyl-transpeptidase (GGT)-positive oval cells (greater than 75%) was isolated from ACI rats maintained on CD-AAF diet for 3 weeks. The donor cells were transplanted via the portal vein into livers of male F1 progeny (LExACI) that had been fed a CD diet for 7 days prior to receiving a partial hepatectomy and the cell suspension. Host rats were then fed either a CD or choline-supplemented (CS) diet for 12 weeks and killed. Colonies of donor-derived cells identified in frozen sections by their lack of reactivity with ACI anti-LE alloantiserum in indirect immunofluorescence (IF) assays were only observed in rats continuously fed the CD diet. Histochemical analysis indicated that the donor-derived colonies expressed GGT, a preneoplastic marker for liver cancer. IF assays using MAbs previously shown to be capable of distinguishing between oval cells and mature hepatocytes indicated that the donor-derived colonies consisted of a mixture of cells with phenotypes resembling those of mature and immature hepatocytes rather than those of oval or ductal cells. Although the cellular origin of the GGT+ donor-derived colonies has not been unequivocally resolved, our results demonstrate that the livers of rats fed a CD-AAF diet contain a chemically altered call population that can be induced to proliferate by a CD diet. In contrast, a CD diet did not promote colonization when normal hepatocytes were employed as the donor cell population, suggesting that the GGT+ oval cells and not the few contaminating GGT- hepatocytes (1%) in the CD-AAF donor cell suspension were the preneoplastic precursors that gave rise to donor-derived colonies. This transplantation protocol will be useful to define the biological potential of chemically altered liver cells during carcinogenesis.     

Infectious tolerance mediated by CD8+ T-suppresor cells after UV-B-irradiated donor-specific transfusion and rat heart transplantation

AIMS: CD8+CD28- human T-suppressor cells (Ts), which can be generated in vitro, act directly on APC rendering them tolerogenic to unprimed and primed CD4+ T cells. The aim of this study was to investigate the possibility that CD8+ T cells mediate the induction of tolerance in a heart transplantation model in rodents. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Blood from Lewis rats was UV-B-irradiated and transfused into ACI recipients on days -21, -14, and -7 before heart allograft transplantation on day 0. CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells were positively selected from ACI rats, which had tolerated Lewis heart allografts for more than 100 days and were adoptively transferred to naive ACI rats pretreated (day -1) with gamma irradiation. These ACI rats underwent transplantation with Lewis hearts 24 hours after adoptive transfer of putative T-suppressor cells. RESULTS: Adoptive transfer of CD8(+) T cells from tolerant ACI to naive ACI rats significantly prolonged Lewis heart mean allograft survival time (MST +/- SD) to 69 +/- 13 days as compared with 15 +/- 1 and 14 +/- 1 days in animals adoptively transferred with CD4+ T cells or untreated controls, respectively (P < .001). Similarly, adoptive transfer of CD8(+) T cells from secondary ACI recipients to naive syngeneic animals also significantly prolonged survival of heart allografts to MST +/- SD of 72 +/- 4 for CD8(+) and 15 +/- 4 days for CD4(+) T cells (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: These data demonstrate that allogeneic tolerance induced in ACI recipients by treatment with UV-B-irradiated blood from Lewis donors is mediated by CD8+ T-suppressor cells.     

Mobilization of host stem cells enables long-term liver transplant acceptance in a strongly rejecting rat strain combination

Careful examination of liver, kidney and heart transplants in human recipients has revealed small numbers of host bone marrow derived stem cells in the graft. If the limited recipient repopulation of a donor graft that is currently observed could be facilitated, it is possible that conversion to a predominantly host phenotype would permit long-term graft function without immunosuppression. We proposed to "engineer" repopulation after transplant in a strain combination (dark agouti [DA] to Lewis green fluorescent protein+[LEW GFP+]) which rejects liver grafts strongly, a model that more closely resembles the situation in humans. Treatment on days 0, 1, 2, 3 and 7 after transplantation with low-dose (0.1 mg/kg) tacrolimus (T) designed to blunt rejection combined with plerixafor (P) to mobilize host stem cells resulted in greater than 180 days graft survival with extensive albeit spotty conversion of a small (50%) DA graft to the recipient LEW GFP+ genotype. Subsequent skin grafting revealed donor-specific graft prolongation. The T plus P treatment resulted in higher levels of Lin-Thy1+CD34+CD133+ stem cells and Foxp3+ regulatory T cells in the blood and liver at day 7. Thus, pharmacological mobilization of host stem cells sustains liver allografts by two mechanisms: repopulation of injured donor cells and regulation of the immune response.     

大鼠胚胎肝干细胞的分离、鉴定及转染绿色荧光蛋白基因的研究

目的 分离、培养大鼠胚胎肝干细胞,检测肝干细胞表面标志CD49f,c-Met,建立携带示踪标记的大鼠肝干细胞.方法 Percoll梯度离心法分离孕14 d大鼠胚胎肝细胞,体外培养后采用流式细胞术(FACS)检测CIM9f和c-Met,pAcGFP1-N1质粒提取并经电泳鉴定后用脂质体法转染细胞.结果 成功分离并纯化了孕14 d大鼠胚胎肝细胞;CIM9f和c-Met阳性细胞的比例分别为65.0%和85.9%;电泳鉴定质粒正确,成功转染细胞后荧光显微镜观察到大量表达绿色荧光蛋白(GFP)的肝干细胞.结论 从孕14 d大鼠胎肝中成功分离并鉴定肝干细胞,成功转染pAeGFP1-N1质粒,建立携带稳定表达GFP示踪标记的大鼠肝干细胞.