Delayed onset of graft‐versus‐host disease in immunodeficent human leucocyte antigen‐DQ8 transgenic,murine major histocompatibility complex class II‐deficient mice repopulated by human peripheral blood mononuclear cells

Haematopoietic humanization of mice is used frequently to study the human immune system and its reaction upon experimental intervention. Immunocompromised non‐obese diabetic (NOD)‐Rag1^–/– mice, additionally deficient for the common gamma chain of cytokine receptors (γc) (NOD‐Rag1^–/– γc^–/– mice), lack B, T and natural killer (NK) cells and allow for efficient human peripheral mononuclear cell (PBMC) engraftment. However, a major experimental drawback for studies using these mice is the rapid onset of graft‐versus‐host disease (GVHD). In order to elucidate the contribution of the xenogenic murine major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II in this context, we generated immunodeficient mice expressing human MHC class II human leucocyte antigen (HLA)‐DQ8] on a mouse class II‐deficient background (Aβ^–/–). We studied repopulation and onset of GVHD in these mouse strains following transplantation of DQ8 haplotype‐matched human PBMCs. The presence of HLA class II promoted the repopulation rates significantly in these mice. Virtually all the engrafted cells were CD3⁺ T cells. The presence of HLA class II did not advance B cell engraftment, such that humoral immune responses were undetectable. However, the overall survival of DQ8‐expressing mice was prolonged significantly compared to mice expressing mouse MHC class II molecules, and correlated with an increased time span until onset of GVHD. Our data thus demonstrate that this new mouse strain is useful to study GVHD, and the prolonged animal survival and engraftment rates make it superior for experimental intervention following PBMC engraftment.