Anti-CD4 induced rat heart tolerance: no presence of primed T cells and regulatory mechanisms for cytotoxic T cells

Treatment with anti-CD4 monoclonal antibody (mAb) (OX38) induces heart, but not skin graft tolerance in WF (RT1u) to Lewis (RT1l) rat strain combinations. We examined differences in cellular responses between heart-bearing and skin-rejected hosts that were both treated with anti-CD4 mAb. In the tolerant LEW rats bearing WF heart transplants, the secondary WF heart but not skin grafts were accepted. On the other hand, in anti-CD4 treated WF skin-rejected hosts, both secondary WF heart and skin grafts were rapidly rejected. Spleen cells from anti-CD4 treated WF skin-rejected LEW rats but not from WF heart-bearing LEW rats received the same treatment generated CTL after in vitro stimulation with paraformaldehyde (PFA) treated donor WF stimulator spleen cells. Adoptive transfer of spleen cells from WF skin-rejected LEW rats with or without anti-CD4 therapy into the tolerant LEW rats at the secondary WF heart transplantation blocked the secondary heart graft acceptance. However, transfer of spleen cells from WF heart-rejected rats without immunosuppression failed to block acceptance of the secondary heart graft. Our results indicated the lack of primed T cells and presence of regulatory mechanisms for tissue specific T cells in anti-CD4 treated heart bearing hosts.     

Long-term survival of cardiac allografts in lethally irradiated rats repopulated with host-type hemopoietic cells.

To test the hypothesis that hemopoietic cells within a tissue graft are responsible for its immunogenicity, two experimental protocols were followed. LEW hearts were grafted into (LEW X BN)F-1 host rats and LEW or F-1 lymphocytes were injected into the apex of the grafted heart. The LEW but not the F-1 cells induced a local reaction, apparently because the circulating F-1 cells were the necessary immunogens. The second protocol took advantage of the knowledge that lethally irradiated LEW rats were able to reject WF Ag-B-incompatible hemopoietic cells (but not tissue allografts) within a few days. LEW rats were lethally irradiated and grafted with WF hearts on day 0. A mixture of LEW marrow, thymus, spleen and lymph node cells, or marrow cells only were infused either on day 0 or day 2. Cardiac allografts in hosts repopulated with the mixture of lymphoid cells survived a mean of 11.3 days in hosts infused on day 0, but survived indefinitely if the lymphoid cells were infused on day 2. The 2-day interval also prolonged the survival of allografts in rats infused with only marrow cells. The long-term recipients, without any further treatment, rejected WF skin grafts as first-set reactions 1 year later but did not reject second WF cardiac allografts. Lymphoid cells from long-term recipients imparied the rejection of WF cardiac allografts by LEW host rats. The lack of rejection of the original cardiac allograft supported the hypothesis tested. Certain hemopoietic cells responsible for the immunogenicity of cardiac allografts were probably eliminated in the 2-day interval at least in part by host effector cells capable of rejecting allogeneic hemopoietic cells. However, the mechanism of long-term "unresponsiveness" to WF hearts could have been caused by loss of accessory cells during the 2-day interval followed by infusion of immunocompetent cells. Skin rejections in these recipients may have been attributable to reactions against skin differentiation-specific antigens.     

Significant enhancement by anti-ICOS antibody of suboptimal tacrolimus immunosuppression in rat liver transplantation.

A member of the costimulatory molecule family, inducible costimulator (ICOS), is expressed on activated T cells and plays a critical role in their primary activation and cytokine production. ICOS is involved in different immune phenomena, such as Th1-mediated autoimmune disease and graft rejection. Although blockade of ICOS costimulation theoretically may protect grafts from rejection, a single dose of anti-ICOS antibody did not result in the prolongation of rat liver allograft survival. However, in this article, we report that anti-rat ICOS antibody markedly enhanced the immunosuppressive activity of a suboptimal dose of tacrolimus (FK506). After fully allogenic DA to LEW liver transplantation, recipients received a single injection of tacrolimus (1 mg/kg, intramuscularly) with or without anti-ICOS antibody (1 mg/kg, intravenously). Recipient survival was significantly prolonged in rats treated with both the antibody and suboptimal tacrolimus (median survival time 44 days vs. 28 days with tacrolimus alone, P <.01). The extent of cell infiltration into the graft was closely associated with prolongation of recipient survival. Our findings thus demonstrate that anti-ICOS antibody immunotherapy combined with suboptimal tacrolimus has a synergistic effect in preventing hepatic allograft rejection and that it may induce long-term graft acceptance intimately associated with a marked reduction of intragraft T lymphocyte infiltration.     

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.     

Rat parathyroid allotransplantation: Influence of MHC antigen expression on graft survival

MHC antigen expression in parathyroid tissue and its influence on graft survival after allogeneic transplantation were investigated using a heterotopic rat transplantation model. MHC class I and II expression in parathyroid tissue of Lewis (LEW), Dark Agouti (DA), and Wistar-Furth (WF) rats was analysed semi-quantitatively by using immunohistochemistry. MHC class I expression was strong in DA, moderate in WF, and weak in LEW rats parenchyma, whereas MHC class II expression was negative. In the interstitium of all investigated tissue specimens, the proportion of MHC class II-expressing cells was low. Additionally, four groups were transplanted: 1) LEW to LEW, 2) DA to DA, 3) LEW to DA, and 4) WF to LEW. After syngeneic transplantation, graft survival could be documented over the whole observation period. A median graft survival of 20 (+/-2) days was observed after transplantation from LEW to DA, whereas grafts in the group WF to LEW were rejected after 13 (+/-1) days. The number of intra-graft leucocytes expressing MHC class II molecules was the same in all groups, whereas increased levels of MHC class I in parathyroid tissue before transplantation resulted in a more rapid rejection. These results indicate that immunogenicity of rat parathyroid tissue might be determined by the amount of MHC class I expressed in donor parenchymal cells. Further experiments are necessary to validate this observation.     

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.     

Influence of donor MHC class I antigen expression on graft survival after rat parathyroid allotransplantation

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: We investigated the influence of donor MHC antigen expression on graft survival after parathyroid transplantation in three different strain combinations. METHODS: MHC class I and II expression on parathyroid tissue of Lewis (LEW), Dark Agouti (DA), and Wistar-Furth (WF) rats was first analysed semiquantitatively by immunohistochemistry. Additionally, five groups were transplanted: (1) LEW to LEW, (2) DA to DA, (3) LEW to DA, (4) WF to LEW, and (5) DA to LEW. METHODS: MHC class I expression was strong in DA, moderate in WF, and weak in LEW rats; MHC class II expression was negative in all three strains. In the interstitium of all investigated tissue specimens, the proportion of MHC class II-expressing cells was low. RESULTS: After syngeneic transplantation, graft survival could be documented over the whole observation period. A mean graft survival of 20 (+/-2) days was observed following transplantation from LEW to DA, grafts in the group WF to LEW were rejected after 13 (+/-1) days, and graft function lasted 8 (+/-2) days in the group DA to LEW. The number of intragraft leukocytes expressing MHC class II molecules was equal in all groups, whereas increased levels of MHC class I on rat parathyroid tissue before transplantation resulted in a more rapid rejection. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrate that immunogenicity of rat parathyroid tissue seems to be determined by the amount of MHC class I expressed on donor parenchymal cells.     

Characteristics of rejection of orthotopic corneal allografts in the rat

We have employed a rat model of orthotopic corneal transplantation to study the characteristics of rejection and development of systemic immunity in the host. Lewis (LEW) rats underwent a true penetrating keratoplasty using Wistar-Furth (WF) donor corneas. A rejection incidence of 55% with a mean survival time (MST) of 17.1 days was observed using these untreated allogeneic corneas. Animals undergoing rejection of these allografts developed cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) capable of lysing WF lymphoblasts in a standard 51-chromium release assay. These same rats did not have delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) responses when compared to skin grafted controls. Rats with clear allografts had no demonstrable CTL or DTH activity. As expected, LEW rats that were preimmunized with WF skin grafts and subsequently received WF orthotopic corneal grafts rejected 100% of these corneas at an accelerated rate (MST = 9.7 days, P less than .02). We then employed a previously described technique of using latex beads to induce migration of Langerhans cells into the central cornea of the donor graft prior to transplantation. The presence of Langerhans cells in the donor cornea resulted in a higher incidence of rejection (96%) and an accelerated rate (MST = 11.8 days, P less than .02) when compared to untreated allografts. These rats also had a higher level of CTL activity and marked DTH responses. These data show that rejection of orthotopic allogeneic corneas is accompanied by the development of systemic alloimmunity as measured by CTL activity. However, these fully allogeneic corneas can be rejected in the absence of DTH responses. Langerhans cells have a dramatic effect on graft survival and are necessary for induction of DTH responsiveness in the host.     

Analysis of cellular events in hepatic allografts: Donor progenitors induce intragraft chimerism

Abstract Long‐term graft acceptance and tolerance induction after allogeneic rat liver transplantation are well described. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In this study we investigated the cellular events within the liver graft during initial immunosuppression and long‐term acceptance. Orthotopic liver transplantation was performed in the Dark Agouti (DA)‐to‐Lewis (LEW) and LEW‐to‐DA rat strain combination. In order to achieve long‐term acceptance, LEW recipients of DA livers were treated with two different short‐term therapies. Non‐parenchymal cells (NPC) were isolated from liver allografts on days + 10 and + 100 after transplantation and donor‐specific leukocytes were immunophenotyped by flow cytometry. Both the monotherapy and triple therapy prolonged graft survival (> 100 days). Liver allografts from LEW donors into DA recipients were spontaneously accepted across a complete MHC mismatch without immunosuppression. Liver allograft rejection was induced by infiltrating alloreactive immunocompetent cells. But the intensities of cell infiltration in the early and late phases after transplantation did not correlate with eventual outcome. Donor‐specific NPC decreased to 18‐25% on day + 10 in both therapeutic groups, but had rebounded to up to 40% by day + 100. Recurrence of donor‐specific cells was caused almost exclusively by rising T cell counts. The persistence of dendritic cells in the late phase after transplantation could be clearly demonstrated. Repopulation by donor‐specific T lymphocytes was observed in long‐term accepted liver grafts. This recurrence may be based on the differentiation of liver‐derived progenitor cells. The persistent coexistence of donor and recipient cells within the liver allograft (intrahepatic chimerism) appears to be characteristic and may be important for long‐term acceptance.     

Alloreactive T suppressor cells in the rat. I. Evidence of three distinct subsets of splenic suppressor T cells resistant to cyclosporine

In this study we examined the effect of cyclosporine on three distinct subsets of T suppressor (Ts) cells identified in a rat renal allograft model. Ts inducer (Ts1) cells having the CD4 marker are found in the spleens of DA rats undergoing acute rejection of LEW kidneys. Transducer (Ts2) and effector (Ts3) cells both carry the CD8 marker and are found in the spleens of long-term surviving DA rats bearing LEW kidney allografts made tolerant by donor-specific blood transfusions or by cyclosporine (in most cases). These latter cells are distinguished by their susceptibility to cyclophosphamide (CY), Ts2 cells being resistant while Ts3 cells are sensitive to CY. When Ts cells from DA rats undergoing acute graft rejection of LEW kidneys or bearing long-term-surviving LEW kidneys that had been treated with cyclosporine (10mg/kg/day) for 2 or 10 days, respectively, were adoptively transferred into lightly irradiated DA recipients, these cells were still able to specifically induce long-term survival of LEW kidneys. LEW kidney survival was not prolonged in DA rats given no cells or cells from rats treated with cyclosporine for 10 days. Thus it would appear that the three functional subsets of Ts cells demonstrated in this renal allograft model by adoptive transfer of spleen lymphocytes are not inhibited by cyclosporine, suggesting that this resistance of Ts cells to cyclosporine may be partly responsible for the immunosuppressive effect of this agent.     

Allochimeric therapy induces unique regulatory T cells that mitigate chronic rejection

Induction of tolerance to an allogeneic graft without the need for nonspecific immunosuppression is a major goal of transplantation therapy. We have shown that treatment with molecularly engineered, allochimeric [alpha(1h)(1/u)]-RT1.Aa class I MHC antigens bearing donor-type Wistar-Furth (WF, RT1.A(u)) or Lewis (LEW, RT1A(1)) amino acid substitutions for host-type ACI (RTI.A(a)) sequences in the alpha(1)-helical region induces donor-specific tolerance to cardiac allografts in rat recipients. The mechanisms involved in the establishment and maintenance of specific allograft tolerance are still not fully understood. It is now clear that acquisition of transplantation tolerance is an active, highly regulated, multistep process. According to the pool size model of allograft tolerance, the allograft outcome, rejection, or tolerance often depend on the balance between cytopathic and regulatory T cells (T-regs). This study examined mechanisms of chronic rejection (CR) development on a model of cardiac transplant tolerance after adoptive transfer of T-regs followed by allochimeric therapy. Generation of T-regs was demonstrated in vitro by MLR coculture and confirmed by adoptive transfer of T cells from primary recipients to secondary hosts. To confirm the true nature of regulatory cells, we performed a second transfer into tertiary recipients. Unlike T-regs from tolerant hosts, T cells from naive rats did not prolong graft survival. Histological evaluation of T-regs-transfected groups showed absence of visible CR. In contrast, T-regs generated in recipients after high-dose cyclosporine treatment failed to inhibit CR in transferred singeneic recipients. Allochimeric therapy triggers generation of unique regulatory lymphocytes that mitigate development of chronic rejection through regulation of anti-inflammatory mechanisms and down-regulation of alloantibody response.     

负向免疫调节树突状细胞对心脏移植大鼠免疫状态的影响

目的 探讨经体外光化学法(PUVA)处理的供者脾淋巴细胞与受者树突状细胞(DC)共培养后,对移植受者体液免疫、细胞免疫及移植物排斥反应的影响.方法 以DA大鼠为供者,LEW大鼠为受者,建立大鼠腹部异位心脏移植模型.分离供者脾淋巴细胞(SP),制备经PUVA处理的供者脾淋巴细胞(PUVA-SP).在体外分别将供者PUVA-SP和SP与受者骨髓来源的未成熟DC共培养,得到PUVA-SP-DC及SP-DC,流式细胞仪检测上述DC表型.根据受者心脏移植术前1周静脉输注成分的不同,将受者随机分为3组:(1)对照组(n=7):单纯输注磷酸盐缓冲液(PBS);(2)SP-DC组(n=8):输注Sp-DC 5×106个;(3)PUVA-SP-DC组(n=8):输注PUVA-SP-DC 5×106个.每日观察各组移植心的存活状况.移植后第6天,检测受者血清中抗供者特异性IgG水平;通过混合淋巴细胞反应(MLR)检测受者脾脏T淋巴细胞对供者抗原刺激的增殖反应;比较各组受者脾脏体积的大小.结果 供者脾淋巴细胞经PUVA处理后细胞凋亡率为81.93%.正常LEW大鼠DC共刺激分子CD80和CD86阳性率分别为(3.5±0.27)%和(13.0±0.58)%,受者DC与供者SP混合培养后,其CD80和CD86的表达水平为(16.6±0.72)%和(36.5±0.87)%,后者明显高于前者(P<0.01);受者DC与供者PUVA-SP混合培养后,其CD86和CD80的表达率分别为(3.9±0.12)%和(13.4±0.59)%,与正常LEW大鼠DC相当(P>0.05).PUVA-SP-DC组的受者抗供者特异性IgG水平明显低于SP-DC组及对照组(P<0.01).PUVA-SP-DC组受者T淋巴细胞对供者抗原的刺激反应指数为1.66±0.29,明显低于SP-DC及对照组(7.28±0.38、4.19±0.16,P<0.01);而其对无关供者抗原的刺激反应指数为4.37±0.11,与SP-DC及对照组相当(4.51±0.40、4.36±0.14,P>0.05).PUVA-SP-DC组的移植心存活时间比其他两组明显延长(P<0.01),而且其脾脏体积最小.结论 PUVA-SP-DC能够特异性的下调移植受者对供者抗原的细胞免疫及体液免疫反应,从而明显延长移植物存活时间.     

T-cell alloimmunity and chronic allograft dysfunction

Solid organ transplantation is the standard treatment to improve both the quality of life and survival in patients with various end-stage organ diseases. The primary barrier against successful transplantation is recipient alloimmunity and the need to be maintained on immunosuppressive therapies with associated side effects. Despite such treatments in renal transplantation, after death with a functioning graft, chronic allograft dysfunction (CAD) is the most common cause of late allograft loss. Recipient recognition of donor histocompatibility antigens, via direct, indirect, and semidirect pathways, is critically dependent on the antigen-presenting cell (APC) and elicits effector responses dominated by recipient T cells. In allograft rejection, the engagement of recipient and donor cells results in recruitment of T-helper (Th) cells of the Th1 and Th17 lineage to the graft. In cases in which the alloresponse is dominated by regulatory T cells (Tregs), rejection can be prevented and the allograft tolerated with minimum or no immunosuppression. Here, we review the pathways of allorecognition that underlie CAD and the T-cell effector phenotypes elicited as part of the alloresponse. Future therapies including depletion of donor-reactive lymphocytes, costimulation blockade, negative vaccination using dendritic cell subtypes, and Treg therapy are inferred from an understanding of these mechanisms of allograft rejection.     

Spontaneous long-term acceptance of RT-1-incompatible liver allografts in inbred rats. Analysis of the immune status

In several combinations of inbred rats, liver allografts are spontaneously tolerated, and after a few weeks liver tolerant rats are in a state of donor-specific transplantation tolerance. In vivo and in vitro experiments were conducted to analyze the immunological status of LEW or BN rats with spontaneously tolerated (LEW X BN) F1 liver allografts several months after transplantation. Acute rejection of secondary donor-specific heart allografts retransplanted from liver-tolerant rats to normal syngeneic hosts suggests that the state of tolerance in liver-tolerant rats is related to an active modification of the immune system of the rat and not to a reduced immunogenicity of the graft. No cytotoxic antibodies or cells were found in liver-tolerant rats. Reactivity in mixed lymphocyte culture was normal or slightly reduced. Arguments for the presence of splenic suppressor cells were found in LEW tolerant rats using a local graft-versus-host assay, but these could not be found in BN rats, or when attempting to transfer or to break the tolerance state. A nonspecific humoral blocking factor was found in vitro in liver-tolerant rats but transfer of serum from liver-tolerant rats to normal syngeneic hosts did not permit a significant prolongation of donor-specific heart allografts. These results suggest that more than one mechanism may be involved at the maintenance phase of liver allograft tolerance.     

Donor-derived alloantigen-presenting cells persist in the liver allograft during tolerance induction

The predictive value of chimerism was evaluated in three different transplantation models in the rat without immunosuppression: small bowel- (SBTx), liver- (LTx), and liver/small bowel transplantation (LSBTx) were performed in the Brown Norway (BN)-to-Lewis- (LEW) strain combination. Immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry were used to identify donor cells in the recipient's spleen. Their number did not change significantly during transient rejection or tolerance after LTx and LSBTx. However, the amount of donor-derived nonparenchymal cells within the liver allograft including antigen-presenting cells (APCs), such as dendritic and Kupffer cells, clearly mirrored the recipient's immune status: as expected, their number decreased during rejection, but recovered considerably during and after tolerance induction. We conclude that donor cells in the periphery of the recipient correlate with the presence of the allograft, but do not seem to influence graft acceptance actively. However, the kinetics of the detected donor APC population in the liver suggests their important role in modifying the recipient's immune response towards tolerance. Received: 29 March 1999/Revised: 19 August 1999/Accepted: 3 November 1999     

Factors affecting rejection of second corneal transplants in rats

BACKGROUND: Second and subsequent corneal transplants in the same eye are more prone to rejection reactions and failure than first grafts. This may be a result of local changes or systemic sensitization to antigen shared by the first and second donors. Because HLA typing is not routine in corneal transplantation, a clear correlation between accelerated rejection and specific sensitization has not been established. METHODS: PVG (RT1), Lewis (LEW; RT1), or AO (RT1) strain corneas were transplanted to PVG strain rats, followed by a LEW strain cornea in the ipsilateral or contralateral eye 6 weeks later. Graft survival was evaluated by slit lamp biomicroscopy. Proliferation of recipient lymph node cells was tested against allogeneic, syngeneic and third-party stimulator cells after the second transplantation. RESULTS: A second allograft in the ipsilateral or contralateral eye was rejected in an accelerated fashion that was not donor MHC specific. Rejection was not significantly accelerated in the ipsilateral eye compared with the contralateral eye. There was a secondary lymphocyte proliferation response to third party (AO strain) in animals previously exposed only to the LEW strain. CONCLUSIONS: Systemic sensitization to donor antigens, rather than local changes induced by first transplantation, contributed to accelerated rejection of a second graft. Accelerated rejection is not dependent on MHC compatibility between the grafts. It could be caused by shared "public" MHC determinants, by minor antigens shared by the first and second donors, or by cross-reactivity of T cells to epitopes on AO and LEW grafts. HLA mismatching of first and second donors may not prolong second graft survival.     

Studies on the participation of different T cell subsets in rat liver allograft rejection

In this study, we investigated which subsets of rat T cells (CD8 + vs. CD4 + ) are involved in the rejection of liver allografts by the in vivo administration of monoclonal antibody (OX-8 or OX-38, and W3/25 MAb) into thymectomized recipient Lewis (RTI¹) rats prior to DA (RTI^a) liver transplantation. We also compared the results of allograft survival of liver and heart transplants under the same experimental conditions. In order to deplete either CD8 + T cells or CD4 + T cells from recipient animals, 0.4 ml of OX-8 (ascitic form) or a 0.8 ml cocktail of MAb W3/25 and OX-38 (0.4 ml each) was injected into thymectomized recipient rats, respectively. Untreated Lewis rats consistently rejected donor DA liver grafts between 9 and 11 days (n = 7, 9.8 days ± 1.1 days). In contrast, anti-CD8 MAb pretreatment extended the survival times of DA liver grafts for up to 40 days (n = 5, 26.8 days ± 8.4 days). Furthermore, survival of DA liver grafts was significantly prolonged in Lewis rats that had been pretreated with anti-CD4 MAb (n = 7,35.6 days ± 17.9 days). Two out of seven recipient animals survived for more than 60 days. For heart transplantation, untreated Lewis rats rejected DA heart grafts between 6 and 8 days after operation (n = 6, 6.5 days ± 1.2 days). Anti-CD4 MAb treatment prolonged heart graft survival for more than 60 days in all cases (n = 3, > 60 days). However, there was virtually no effect of anti-CD8 MAb treatment on heart graft survival (n = 4, 7.0 days ± 0.9 days). These results suggested that when whole MHC disparity prevailed between donor and recipient, both subsets of T cells were required for the rejection of liver allografts and that class II reactive T cells predominantly mediated liver graft rejection. Furthermore, CD8 + T cells played a differential role in the rejection of rat liver and heart allograft.     

Transfer of "infectious" cardiac allograft tolerance induced by donor-specific transfusion

BACKGROUND: "Infectious tolerance" has been defined as the tolerance induced in a new recipient by the adoptive transfer of cells from a recipient accepting an allograft after anti-CD4 and anti-CD8 monoclonal antibody treatment. A clear understanding of the mechanisms responsible for graft acceptance after donor-specific blood transfusion (DST) has remained elusive. We examined the development and "infectious" nature of immunologic changes resulting in indefinite survival of LEW to DA rat cardiac allografts after DST alone without the need for antibody. METHODS: One hundred x 10(6) LEW splenocytes (SC) as DST were injected intravenously into DA recipients 7 days before LEW cardiac transplantation. Subsequently, 100 x 10(6) SC harvested from a DA recipient 30, 60, or 100 days after graft acceptance were adoptively transferred into lightly gamma-irradiated (450 rad) na?ve DA recipients 24 hours before a second LEW cardiac allograft. Subsequent graft function was determined. RESULTS: Adoptive transfer of SC from the DST-treated DA rats 30 days after LEW heart transplant acceptance into na?ve gamma-irradiated DA rats failed to transfer tolerance to LEW cardiac allografts. However, SC from DA rats bearing LEW hearts for more than 60 days induced indefinite tolerance to all LEW hearts. This infectious tolerance could be adoptively transferred again to a second DA recipient. CONCLUSIONS: DST-generated regulatory cells can downregulate na?ve lymphocytes to promote allograft acceptance. This tolerance can be expanded and serially transferred to a subsequent na?ve cardiac recipient.     

Impact of both donor and recipient strains on cardiac allograft survival after blockade of the CD40-CD154 costimulatory pathway

BACKGROUND: The effectiveness of anti-CD154 monoclonal antibodies in prolonging the survival of mouse allografts is dependent on the strain combination. In this report, we examined the impact of the donor and the recipient strains on the success of CD40-CD154 blockade. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cardiac allograft survival was monitored in different donor/recipient strain combinations. Morphometric analyses on the allograft coronary arteries allowed quantification of vessel intimal thickening. RESULTS: Prolonged cardiac allograft survival after the administration of an anti-CD154 monoclonal antibody was found to be dependent on the donor and the recipient strains. The influence of the donor and the recipient strains lay in the ability of CD8 T cells to cause graft rejection despite CD40-CD154 blockade. Elimination of CD8 T cells before transplantation resulted in similar graft prolongation irrespective of the genotype of the donor or the recipient strain. CONCLUSION: These data show that both donor and recipient strains contribute to CD40-CD154-independent CD8 T-cell-mediated rejection.     

Simultaneous blockade of co-stimulatory signals, CD28 and ICOS, induced a stable tolerance in rat heart transplantation

An inducible co-stimulator (ICOS), a recently identified co-stimulatory receptor with a close structural homology of CD28 and CTLA4, is expressed on activated T cells. Anti-ICOS antibody was demonstrated to be effective on prolongation of graft survival after liver transplantation in rats. In this study, we investigated the potency of tolerance induction using the antibody combined with a recombinant adenovirus vector containing CTLA-4Ig cDNA (AdCTLA-4Ig) in rat heart transplantation model. Using a DA-to-Lewis rat heart transplantation model, an anti-rat ICOS antibody and AdCTLA-4Ig were simultaneously administered i.v. into recipients. The tissue specimens from the grafts were removed on various days after transplantation for histological evaluation. Donor-strain skin and heart grafts, and third-party heart allografts were challenged in the recipients with a long-term surviving graft. Splenocytes from the tolerance-induced recipients were used for adoptive transfer study. Anti-ICOS antibody alone did not prolong the survival of heart allograft. AdCTLA-4Ig monotherapy significantly prolonged the survival of heart allograft (Group 4). With a combination of Anti-ICOS antibody and AdCTLA-4Ig, all recipients were resulted in a long-term allograft acceptance for more than 200 days (Group 8). When challenged donor-strain skin grafts in the tolerant rats of Group 4, the skin was rejected, which also lead to a rejection of primary heart allografts. The recipients in Group 8 also rejected donor-strain skin grafts with no rejection of the primary heart grafts. These recipients accepted secondary heart grafts from donor-strain but not third-party. In Group 8 long-term survival recipients showed a high population of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cell in peripheral blood, and in adoptive transfer study subtraction of these CD4+CD25+ T cells accelerate the rejection of heart graft in secondary irradiated recipients. The present results demonstrated that anti-ICOS antibody combined with AdCTLA-4Ig potently induces a stable immune tolerance after heart allografting in rat, which is mediated by the induction of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells. This strategy may be attractive for clinical employment to induce transplantation tolerance.