In vitro–expanded donor alloantigen–specific CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells promote experimental transplantation tolerance

D Golshayan, S Jiang, J Tsang, MI Garin, C Mottet… - Blood, 2007 - ashpublications.org
D Golshayan, S Jiang, J Tsang, MI Garin, C Mottet, RI Lechler
Blood, 2007ashpublications.org
Abstract CD4+ CD25+ regulatory T (Treg) cells play a critical role in the induction and
maintenance of peripheral immune tolerance. In experimental transplantation models in
which tolerance was induced, donor-specific Treg cells could be identified that were capable
of transferring the tolerant state to naive animals. Furthermore, these cells appeared to have
indirect allospecificity for donor antigens. Here we show that in vivo alloresponses can be
regulated by donor alloantigen-specific Treg cells selected and expanded in vitro. Using …
Abstract
CD4+CD25+ regulatory T (Treg) cells play a critical role in the induction and maintenance of peripheral immune tolerance. In experimental transplantation models in which tolerance was induced, donor-specific Treg cells could be identified that were capable of transferring the tolerant state to naive animals. Furthermore, these cells appeared to have indirect allospecificity for donor antigens. Here we show that in vivo alloresponses can be regulated by donor alloantigen-specific Treg cells selected and expanded in vitro. Using autologous dendritic cells pulsed with an allopeptide from H2-Kb, we generated and expanded T-cell lines from purified Treg cells of CBA mice (H2k). Compared with fresh Treg cells, the cell lines maintained their characteristic phenotype, suppressive function, and homing capacities in vivo. When cotransferred with naive CD4+CD25 effector T cells after thymectomy and T-cell depletion in CBA mice that received CBK (H2k+Kb) skin grafts, the expanded Treg cells preferentially accumulated in the graft-draining lymph nodes and within the graft while preventing CBK but not third-party B10.A (H2k+Dd) skin graft rejection. In wild-type CBA, these donor-specific Treg cells significantly delayed CBK skin graft rejection without any other immunosuppression. Taken together, these data suggest that in vitro–generated tailored Treg cells could be considered a therapeutic tool to promote donor-specific transplant tolerance.
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