title: Effect of GK1.5 monoclonal antibody dosage on survival of pig proislet xenografts in CD4+ T cell-depleted mice.
abstract: Treatment of CBA/H mice with 5 injections of anti-CD4 (GK1.5 mAb) terminating on day 10 posttransplant resulted in long-term survival (greater than or equal to 6 weeks) of fetal pig proislet (pancreatic islet precursor) xenografts. The GK1.5 mAb dose determined the duration of CD4+ T cell depletion and the extent to which the survival of pig proislet xenografts was prolonged. Sustained depletion of CD4+ T cells (0%, 1%, and 9% of total T cells in peripheral lymph nodes at 2, 4, and 6 weeks, respectively) and survival of proislet xenografts at 6 weeks posttransplant was observed when transplant recipients were treated with 5.4 mg GK1.5 mAb/injection. Treatment of transplanted mice with a suboptimal dose of GK1.5 mAb (0.2 mg/injection) resulted in the same level of depletion at 2 weeks posttransplant but a more rapid recovery of CD4+ T cells in the periphery (24% of total T cells at 4 weeks) and only temporary prolongation in xenograft survival (less than or equal to 4 weeks). Control xenografts showed evidence of graft destruction by as early as 6-7 days posttransplant and were completely rejected by 2 weeks. The rejection reaction consisted predominantly of CD4+ T cells, eosinophils and F4/80-positive macrophages. Only small numbers of CD8+ T cells were identified. CD4+ T cells therefore represented the major T cell component of the cellular infiltrate. In contrast, surviving xenografts in GK1.5 mAb-treated recipient mice showed essentially an absence of CD4+ T cells but presence of CD8+ T cells. This finding may be attributable to the increase (1.7-3.1-fold) in the absolute size of the population of CD8+ T cells in the periphery following GK1.5 mAb treatment in vivo. Compared with isolated fetal pig proislets, which contained only a small population of insulin-producing cells in addition to glucagon- and somatostatin-positive cells, surviving pig proislet xenografts contained mainly insulin-positive beta cells with smaller populations of glucagon- and somatostatin-positive cells. Fetal pig proislets therefore differentiate into insulin-producing islet tissue posttransplant and thus show evidence of normal development of endocrine function.
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Sciences, John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra.
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Simeonovic
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ceredig
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Wilson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology*; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000032:analysis; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D004306:Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; D006084:Graft Rejection; D006085:Graft Survival; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000166:cytology; D016381:Islets of Langerhans Transplantation; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D051379:Mice; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D013552:Swine; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D016827:CD8 Antigens