胸腺内注射供体BMSCs对同种异体腹部皮瓣移植排斥的影响

目的:将供体骨髓间充质干细胞(bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells,BMSCs)胸腺内注射(intrathymic injection,IT)至受体胸腺,探讨其对同种异体腹部皮瓣移植排斥的影响及机制。方法:全骨髓贴壁培养法培养并纯化BN大鼠BMSCs,流式细胞术对其表型进行鉴定。受体Lewis鼠随机分为A组(空白对照组)、B组(BMSCs组)、C组(60Coγ射线4Gy全身照射组)、D组(全身照射+BMSCs组),每组6只。各组大鼠第0天进行同种异体腹部皮瓣移植,A组移植前14天IT PBS,B组移植前14天IT供体BMSCs,C组移植前15天给予60Coγ射线4Gy全身照射,移植前14天IT PBS,D组除移植前15天4Gy全身照射外,移植前14天IT供体BMSCs。大体观察移植皮瓣存活情况并绘制生存曲线,排斥终点流式检测脾细胞调节性T细胞(Treg)比例变化,体外混合淋巴细胞反应检测受体脾淋巴细胞对供体抗原反应性变化。结果:全骨髓贴壁培养法能够很好培养出BMSCs,其P3代流式细胞术表型鉴定结果为CD11b/c、CD45阴性,CD29、CD90阳性。B组的移植皮瓣存活时间与A组相比无明显差异(P>0.05),而D组的移植皮瓣平均存活时间较C组延长3.4天,差异具有统计学意义(P<0.01),脾细胞Treg比例显著增高(P<0.01),脾淋巴细胞对供体抗原反应性显著降低(P<0.05)。结论:IT供体BMSCs联合60Coγ射线4Gy全身照射通过上调受体脾细胞Treg比例能有效降低受体脾淋巴细胞对供体抗原的反应性,显著延长同种异体腹部皮瓣移植物存活时间。     

山萘酚通过增强Treg细胞免疫抑制功能延长移植物生存时间

目的:探讨应用山萘酚增强Treg细胞免疫抑制功能,从而抑制大鼠移植物排斥反应并改善移植物生存的作用和机制。方法:以Wister大鼠和SD大鼠分别为供、受体,建立同种异体皮肤移植排斥反应动物模型。观察受体老鼠皮肤移植物的情况,记录移植物失功时间(移植物皮片80%面积发生排斥)。RT-PCR检测移植7天后脾细胞、淋巴细胞FOXP3、CTLA-4和IL-10的mRNA水平,用HE染色组织病理学观察术后7天移植皮片的淋巴细胞浸润程度。体外实验T细胞增殖抑制试验加入山萘酚作为对照,观察Treg功能情况。结果:1.山萘酚能增强移植后同种异体移植物的生存时间(DMSO组6.3±0.3天,山萘酚组13.7±0.39天,P<0.01);2.RT-PCR显示山萘酚可增强细胞CTLA-4(对照组9.24±0.17,山萘酚组12.48±0.145,P<0.05)、FOXP3(对照组0.96±0.07,山萘酚组1.41±0.07,P<0.01)和IL-10(对照组0.95±0.12,山萘酚组1.50±0.16,P<0.05)的mRNA水平;3.体外T细胞增殖抑制实验中,山萘酚可增强Treg细胞的免疫抑制功能。结论:在大鼠皮肤移植模型中,山萘酚可延长皮肤移植物的生存时间,提高Treg细胞相关IL-10、FOXP3和CTLA-4的mRNA水平;体外实验中,能抑制效应T细胞的增殖,表明山萘酚在提高移植物生存方面存在一定的价值。     

CD4^＋CD25^＋Foxp3^＋调节性T细胞的体外扩增及其在移植物抗宿主病中的应用

同种异基因造血干细胞移植是急、慢性白血病及其他恶性血液病重要的治疗方法,但急慢性移植物抗宿主病（graft—versus-host disease,GVHD）作为异基因造血干细胞移植的主要并发症严重影响移植患者的存活率,阻碍移植的临床推广。很多研究发现,高表达Foxp3的CD4^＋CD25^＋调节性T细胞（regulatory T cells,Treg）不仅能控制急慢性GVHD的发生,而且不影响移植物抗白血病效应（graft-versusleukemia,GVL）,在急慢性GVHD发生发展及治疗方面有重要的作用。但Treg细胞在体内的数量很少,不能满足临床应用需求。目前应用外源的IL-2联合TCR、CD28信号通路共同刺激以及运用树突状细胞（dendritic cell,DC）刺激均能达到体外有效扩增Treg细胞的目的。这些扩增的Treg细胞在控制造血干细胞移植过程中急慢性GVHD的发生及防治自身免疫性疾病和移植排斥等方面具有明显作用,在疾病控制和临床应用中具有广阔前景。     

调节性T细胞及间充质干细胞在急性移植物抗宿主病中的研究进展

急性移植物抗宿主病(acute graft versus host disease,aGVHD)的一线治疗方案为糖皮质激素,但药物治疗特异性差,会增加异基因造血干细胞移植(allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation,allo-HSCT)后感染和复发的风险,而且激素耐药性移植物抗宿主病的治疗效果欠佳,目前尚缺乏标准的二线治疗方案。近年来,随着对具有免疫调节活性细胞的认识,人们发现此类细胞在aGVHD的防治中可能具有独特的作用,因而应用免疫调节性细胞治疗aGVHD引起了广泛关注,其中以调节性T细胞(regulatory T lymphocyte,Treg)和间充质干细胞(mesenchymal stem cells,MSCs)的研究最为广泛。为更好地了解免疫调节性细胞调控aGVHD的机制以及其临床应用的可行性和有效性,该文主要就Treg和MSCs生物学特性以及Treg和MSCs在预防与治疗aGVHD中的作用作一综述。     

远程缺血预处理通过升高Treg cells的表达参与脑保护作用

目的:探讨远程缺血预处理后,急性脑卒中24 h,72 h时脾脏组织Treg cells水平的表达变化,阐述远程缺血预处理对Treg cells的调节及其在急性脑卒中缺血期的保护作用。方法:60只昆明小鼠随机分为3组,sham组、MCAO组、远程缺血预处理+MCAO组(n=20只/组),建立小鼠MCAO模型,缺血60分再灌注后在24 h,72 h时进行神经功能缺陷评分(NDS),随后处死小鼠行氯化三苯基四氮唑(TTC)脑片染色,观察脑梗死容积变化。运用流式细胞仪检测脾脏组织Treg cells的表达。ELISA检测脑组织中炎症因子IFN-γ的表达。结果:在72 h时远程缺血预处理组与对照组相比,脑梗死容积减少,神经障碍减轻,脾脏Treg cells的表达上升,脑组织炎症因子IFN-γ的表达下降,P0.05,而24 h Treg cells的表达水平并未发生明显变化,P0.05。结论:在脑卒中急性期,远程缺血预处理通过升高Treg cells的表达参与脑保护作用。     

新分离的脂肪来源基质细胞与培养的脂肪干细胞用于肝纤维化治疗的效能比较

目的:比较新分离的脂肪来源基质细胞(f ASC)与脂肪干细胞(ASC)在抗大鼠肝纤维化方面的治疗潜能。方法:利用胶原酶解法获得新鲜分离的f ASC,体外扩增培养获得不同代数的ASC,用流式细胞仪分析不同代数细胞的表型;建立大鼠肝纤维化模型,并将f ASC或ASC用于干细胞移植治疗,通过血液肝功能指标检测、RT-PCR、HE染色和天狼星红染色评价2类细胞的治疗效果。结果:f ASC和ASC均可显著改善肝纤维化的大鼠肝脏功能,二者用于治疗肝脏疾病的疗效相似。结论:在肝脏疾病的脂肪干细胞移植治疗中,应当综合考虑移植的干细胞体外传代次数和治疗效果间的关系。     

供体特异输注及FK506对同种异体小鼠心脏移植急性排斥反应的影响

目的:探讨供体特异输注(donor-specific transfusion,DST)及不同剂量FK506对同种异体小鼠心脏移植的影响.方法:应用显微外科技术制作颈部移植心脏急性排斥反应小鼠模型,将移植受体小鼠分为4组:对照组(单纯移植组,未加DST),DST 移植组,DST 移植 FK506(2meg/(kg·d))组,DST 移植 FK506(0.3mg/(kg·d))组,比较各组移植心脏生存时间,心肌病理改变及外周血血清细胞因子水平:血清IL-2,IL-4,IL-10和IFN-γ水平.结果:术前1天应用DST与连续应用较小剂量FK506可显著延长移植物存活.术后第七天病理检查发现联合应用DST和FK506的两组移植物急性免疫排斥反应明显比其他两组减轻.血清中IL-2和IFN-γ水平在联合应用DST和FK506的两组明显低于其它两组,IL-4和IL-10水平在联合应用DST和FK506的两组高于对照组和DST 移植组.结论:术前DST及持续应用较小剂量FK506可有效抑制同种异体小鼠颈部心脏移植术后急性排斥反应,显著延长移植物的生存时间.     

CD4~+CD25~+ Treg细胞与移植免疫耐受

诱导器官移植受者对供者抗原的免疫耐受是防治同种异型移植排斥反应的最理想途径。目前认为,免疫耐受形成的主要机制包括:胸腺及骨髓阴性选择引起的克隆清除(Clonal deletion)、组织特异性自身抗原低表达引起的克隆忽视(Clonal ignorance)、阻断T细胞共刺激信号引起的克隆无能(Clonal anergy)、嵌合体(Chimerism)的形成、调节性T细胞(Regulatory Tcell,Treg)介导的克隆抑制(Clonal suppression)等。近年来CD4+CD25+ Treg细胞的研究已成为免疫学界的热门课题之一。已知CD4+CD25+ Treg细胞存在于小鼠、大鼠和人体中,是机体自然存在的具有主动调节活性的T细胞,对维持自我耐受和控制自身免疫病发挥着重要作用。本文着重就CD4+CD25+ Treg细胞的免疫调节机制及其在诱导移植免疫耐受方面的研究进展做一综述。     

体外扩增后脐血来源Treg细胞的有效性及安全性研究

通过检测扩增后调节性T细胞(regulatory T cells,Tregs)的有效性和安全性,研究脐血来源的CD4~+CD25~+Foxp3~+Treg细胞的临床运用前景。实验中,新鲜分离的Treg细胞通过CD3/CD28抗体包被微磁珠进行体外扩增,以检测脐血来源Treg细胞的体外增殖能力,同时利用流式细胞术检测新鲜分离的Treg细胞与扩增后细胞的表型。随后,采用混合淋巴实验(mixed lymphocyte reaction,MLR)检测Treg细胞的功能,利用刺激实验检测扩增后Treg细胞的免疫原性,并且利用NOD-Prkdc~(scid)IL2rg~(null)免疫缺陷小鼠进行体内安全性检测。结果显示,4周后脐血来源的Treg细胞能够扩增到1 000倍以上,与新鲜分离的Treg细胞相比,扩增后的细胞CD45RA表达降低,CD45RO和CD39表达升高;同时,MLR结果显示扩增后的Treg细胞具有较强的抑制能力,并且免疫原性低;此外,体内结果显示扩增后的Treg细胞不会引起移植物抗宿主反应。实验结果初步表明,脐血来源体外扩增后的Treg细胞不仅在数量和功能上能够满足临床移植的需要,并且免疫原性低安全性高。     

Tolerance induction by exosomes from immature dendritic cells and rapamycin in a mouse cardiac allograft model

Background

Dendritic cells (DCs) release bioactive exosomes that play an important role in immune regulation. Because they express low levels of class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC) and co-stimulatory molecules, exosomes derived from donor immature DCs (imDex) prolong allograft survival by inhibiting T-cell activation. However, this effect is limited and does not induce immunological tolerance when imDex are administered alone. Thus, we tested the effect of combined treatment with donor imDex and low-dose rapamycin on inducing tolerance in a mouse cardiac transplantation model.

Methods

ImDex were obtained from the culture supernatant of immature DCs derived from donor mouse (C57BL/6) bone marrow and were injected with suboptimal doses of rapamycin into recipient mouse (BALB/c) before and after transplantation. The capacity of this treatment to induce immune tolerance was analyzed in vitro and in vivo using the mouse cardiac transplantation model.

Results

Donor imDex expressed moderate levels of MHC class II and low levels of MHC class I and co-stimulatory molecules, but neither imDex nor subtherapeutic rapamycin dose alone induced cardiac allograft tolerance. Combined treatment with imDex and rapamycin, however, led to donor specific cardiac allograft tolerance. This effect was accompanied by decreased anti-donor antigen cellular response and an increased percentage of spleen CD4⁺CD25⁺ T cells in recipients. Furthermore, this donor specific tolerance could be further transferred to naïve allograft recipients through injection of splenocytes, but not serum, from tolerant recipients.

Conclusion

Combined with immunosuppressive treatment, donor imDex can prolong cardiac allograft survival and induce donor specific allograft tolerance.     

CD4+ T regulatory cell induction and function in transplant recipients after CD154 blockade is TLR4 independent

Although the role of CD4(+) T regulatory cells (Treg) in transplantation tolerance has been established, putative mechanisms of Treg induction and function in vivo remain unclear. TLR4 signaling has been implicated in the regulation of CD4(+)CD25(+) Treg functions recently. In this study, we first examined the role of recipient TLR4 in the acquisition of operational CD4(+) Treg following CD154 blockade in a murine cardiac transplant model. Then, we determined whether TLR4 activation in allograft tolerant recipients would reverse alloimmune suppression mediated by CD4(+) Treg. We document that donor-specific immune tolerance was readily induced in TLR4-deficient recipients by a single dose of anti-CD154 mAb, similar to wild-type counterparts. The function and phenotype of CD4(+) Treg in both wild-type and TLR4 knockout long-term hosts was demonstrated by a series of depletion experiments examining their ability to suppress the rejection of secondary donor-type test skin grafts and to inhibit alloreactive CD8(+) T cell activation in vivo. Furthermore, TLR4 activation in tolerant recipients following exogenous LPS infusion in conjunction with donor-type skin graft challenge, failed to break Treg-mediated immune suppression. In conclusion, our data reveals a distinctive property of CD4(+) Treg in tolerant allograft recipients, whose induction and function are independent of TLR4 signaling.     

Thioredoxin Priming Prolongs Lung Allograft Survival by Promoting Immune Tolerance

Tolerance to allograft antigen is the major challenge and final goal of transplant medicine. Our previous study demonstrated that thioredoxin-1 (Trx) priming of donor lung significantly protected allogeneic lung graft. To determine whether Trx priming of donor lung inhibits allograft rejection, extends allograft survival and induces immune tolerance, orthotopic left lung transplantation was performed from Lewis to Sprague-Dawley rats without immunosuppression. Donor lungs were primed with Trx at 4°C for 4 hr prior to transplantation. After up to 37 days post-transplantation, allograft lung morphology, recipient T cell and humoral alloantigen-specific immune responses were examined. We found that Trx-primed lungs exhibited much reduced acute rejection and associated lung injuries resulting in loss of graft functional area at 5-37 days post-transplant in contrast to the control groups. CD4⁺ T cells from the recipients with Trx-primed grafts responded to the stimulation of dendritic cells (DCs) of donor origin, in contrast to DCs from the third party, with significantly reduced proliferation. Consistent with above findings, we observed that CD4⁺Foxp3⁺ regulatory T cells in spleen cells from the recipients with Trx-primed grafts were significantly increased compared to controls, and CD4⁺ T cells from the recipients with Trx-primed grafts produced much higher levels of immunosuppressive cytokine, IL-10 when stimulated with allogeneic donor DCs. In addition, humoral immune tolerance was also induced as there was no significant increase levels of serum antibodies against donor antigens in Trx-lung recipients when re-challenged with allogeneic donor antigens. Our results demonstrate that one-time Trx-priming of donor lung grafts prior to transplantation significantly prolongs the survival of the grafts through inducing or promoting cellular and humoral alloantigen-specific immune tolerance, which might be associated with the induction of immunosuppressive regulatory T cells.     

Cytochrome P450 in living donor liver transplantation

Cytochrome P450 metabolizes many drugs in the liver. Three genotypes of CYP2C19 with extensive, intermediate, and poor metabolizing activity, respectively, have been identified in peripheral blood of transplant recipients and new liver grafts in living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). The expression of the final genotype in liver graft biopsies depends on the donor, whereas the expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells depends on the recipient. The metabolizing isoenzyme of the major anti-rejection agents passes through CYP3A4, CYP3A5 and MDR1, which have also been identified to have similar biological characteristics as genotype of CYP2C19 in liver tissue. Recently, pyrosequencing has been used to investigate the expressions of different genotypes in liver grafts in LDLT. This review focuses on recent findings regarding the biological expressions of the CYP2C19, CYP3A4, CYP3A5 and MRD1 genotypes in liver grafts before and after LDLT. The application of pyrosequencing may be beneficial in further research on liver transplantation. Laser capture microdissection of hepatocytes in liver grafts may be a direction for future research.     

Control of transplant tolerance and intragraft regulatory T cell localization by myeloid-derived suppressor cells and CCL5

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) are a heterogeneous population of immature cells that are believed to inhibit immune responses in the contexts of cancer and organ transplantation, in association with regulatory T cells (Treg). However, the way in which MDSC cooperate with Treg remains elusive. In this study, we used DNA microarrays to analyze gene expression in blood-derived MDSC from rat recipients of kidney allografts. We found CCL5 (Rantes), a chemotactic C-C motif 5 chemokine, to be strongly downregulated after treatment with a tolerizing regimen. The amount of CCL5 protein was also lower in the plasma of tolerant recipients, whereas intragraft CCL5 was unchanged. Because CCL5 is chemotactic for Treg, we hypothesized that a gradient of CCL5 between the graft and peripheral blood might contribute to the intragraft localization of Treg in tolerant animals. To test this hypothesis, we treated tolerant rat recipients of kidney allografts with recombinant rat CCL5 to restore normal plasma concentrations. This led to a strong reduction in intragraft Treg monitored by immunohistofluorescence and by quantitative real-time PCR measurement of Foxp3 mRNA. Ultimately, this treatment led to an increase in serum creatinine concentrations and to kidney graft rejection after about a month. The kidney function of syngeneic grafts was not affected by a similar administration of CCL5. These data highlight the contribution of MDSC to the establishment of a graft-to-periphery CCL5 gradient in tolerant kidney allograft recipients, which controls recruitment of Treg to the graft where they likely contribute to maintaining tolerance.     

A tolerogenic semimature dendritic cells induce effector T-cell hyporesponsiveness by activation of antigen-specific CD4+CD25+ T regulatory cells that promotes skin allograft survival in mice

Semimature dendritic cells (smDCs) can induce autoimmune tolerance by activation of host antigen-specific CD4⁺CD25⁺ regulatory T (Treg) cells. We hypothesized that donor smDCs injected into recipients would induce effector T-cell hyporesponsiveness by activating CD4⁺CD25⁺Treg cells, and promote skin allograft survival. Myeloid smDCs were derived from C57BL/6J mice (donors) in vitro. BALB/c mice (recipients) were injected with smDCs to generate antigen-specific CD4⁺CD25⁺Treg cells in vivo. Allograft survival was prolonged when BALB/c recipients received either C57BL/6J smDCs prior to grafting or C57BL/6J smDC-derived CD4⁺CD25⁺Treg cells post-grafting, and skin flaps from these grafts showed the highest IL-10 production regardless of rapamycin treatments. Our findings confirm that smDCs constitute an independent subgroup of DCs that play a key role for inducing CD4⁺CD25⁺Treg cells to express high IL-10 levels, which induce hyporesponsiveness of effector T cells. Pre-treating recipients with donor smDCs may have potential for transplant tolerance induction.     

Adipose Tissue-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Increase Skin Allograft Survival and Inhibit Th-17 Immune Response

Adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADSC) exhibit immunosuppressive capabilities both in vitro and in vivo. Their use for therapy in the transplant field is attractive as they could render the use of immunosuppressive drugs unnecessary. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of ADSC therapy on prolonging skin allograft survival. Animals that were treated with a single injection of donor allogeneic ADSC one day after transplantation showed an increase in donor skin graft survival by approximately one week. This improvement was associated with preserved histological morphology, an expansion of CD4⁺ regulatory T cells (Treg) in draining lymph nodes, as well as heightened IL-10 expression and down-regulated IL-17 expression. In vitro, ADSC inhibit naïve CD4⁺ T cell proliferation and constrain Th-1 and Th-17 polarization. In summary, infusion of ADSC one day post-transplantation dramatically increases skin allograft survival by inhibiting the Th-17 pathogenic immune response and enhancing the protective Treg immune response. Finally, these data suggest that ADSC therapy will open new opportunities for promoting drug-free allograft survival in clinical transplantation.     

Manipulating IL-2 Availability Amid Presentation of Donor MHC Antigens Suppresses Murine Alloimmune Responses by Inducing Regulatory T Cells

Background

Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigens are important for alloimmune responses as well as immune tolerance. Previous studies have shown that presentation of donor MHC antigens by donor-specific transfusion prior to or upon transplantation promotes transplant tolerance induced by other agents. However, it is unclear whether presentation of donor MHC antigens by DNA vaccination induces long-term allograft survival.

Methodology/Principal Findings

We investigated whether presentation of MHC class-II and/or class-I donor antigens by DNA vaccination suppresses alloimmune responses and promotes long-term allograft acceptance. We initially found that presentation of both MHC donor antigens by DNA vaccination itself prior to transplantation fails to significantly prolong islet allograft survival in otherwise untreated mice. However, islet allograft survival was significantly prolonged when MHC class-II DNA vaccination was accompanied with IL-2 administration (MHCII + IL-2) while MHC class-I DNA vaccination was followed by IL-2 and subsequent neutralizing anti-IL-2 treatments (MHCI + IL-2/anti-IL-2). Especially, this protocol promoted long-term allograft survival in the majority of recipients (57%) when combined with low doses of rapamycin post-transplantation. Importantly, MHCII + IL-2 induced FoxP3+ Treg cells in both spleens and grafts and suppressed graft-infiltrating CD4+ cell proliferation, whereas MHCI + IL-2/anti-IL-2 mainly inhibited graft-infiltrating CD8+ cell proliferation and donor-specific CTL activity. The combined protocol plus rapamycin treatment further reduced both CD4+ and CD8+ T cell proliferation as well as donor-specific CTL activity but spared FoxP3+ Treg cells. Depleting CD25+ Treg cells or adoptive transfer of pre-sensitized CD8+ T cells abolished this long-term allograft survival.

Conclusions/Significance

Manipulating IL-2 availability during presentation of MHC class-II and class-I donor antigens by DNA vaccination pre-transplantation induces Treg cells, suppresses alloimmune responses and promotes long-term allograft survival.     

Primary vascularization of the graft determines the immunodominance of murine minor H antigens during organ transplantation

Grafts can be rejected even when matched for MHC because of differences in the minor histocompatibility Ags (mH-Ags). H4- and H60-derived epitopes are known as immunodominant mH-Ags in H2(b)-compatible BALB.B to C57BL/6 transplantation settings. Although multiple explanations have been provided to explain immunodominance of Ags, the role of vascularization of the graft is yet to be determined. In this study, we used heart (vascularized) and skin (nonvascularized) transplantations to determine the role of primary vascularization of the graft. A higher IFN-γ response toward H60 peptide occurs in heart recipients. In contrast, a higher IFN-γ response was generated against H4 peptide in skin transplant recipients. Peptide-loaded tetramer staining revealed a distinct antigenic hierarchy between heart and skin transplantation: H60-specific CD8(+) T cells were the most abundant after heart transplantation, whereas H4-specific CD8(+) T cells were more abundant after skin graft. Neither the tissue-specific distribution of mH-Ags nor the draining lymph node-derived dendritic cells correlated with the observed immunodominance. Interestingly, non-primarily vascularized cardiac allografts mimicked skin grafts in the observed immunodominance, and H60 immunodominance was observed in primarily vascularized skin grafts. However, T cell depletion from the BALB.B donor prior to cardiac allograft induces H4 immunodominance in vascularized cardiac allograft. Collectively, our data suggest that immediate transmigration of donor T cells via primary vascularization is responsible for the immunodominance of H60 mH-Ag in organ and tissue transplantation.