Migration of donor cells into the thymus is not essential for induction and maintenance of systemic tolerance after liver transplantation in the rat.
In this study, we show that cells encoded by donor-type major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I antigens effectively migrate into the thymus of the host after liver transplantation. However, the thymus is not essential for the induction and maintenance of tolerance after orthotopic rat liver transplantation (OLT). Liver allografted rats in the DA(RT1a) into PVG (RT1c) combination survived without immunosuppressive agents. The thymus of the host showed a transitory atrophy and returned to normal weight 4 weeks after OLT. Donor antigens were detected in the host thymus after OLT. Adult PVG rats that had been thymectomized 1 week before implantation of DA liver grafts showed liver graft survival without immunosuppression. DA heart grafts were heterotopically transplanted into the PVG thymectomized, liver-grafted rats 1-4 weeks after OLT. No rejection of the cardiac allografts was observed. Systemic tolerance was induced and maintained in the absence of the thymus.
Kobayashi
E
E
Department of Surgery, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
Kamada
N
N
Delriviere
L
L
Lord
R
R
Goto
S
S
Walker
N I
NI
Enosawa
S
S
Miyata
M
M
D000818:Animals; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000276:immunology; D002465:Cell Movement; D006085:Graft Survival; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000276:immunology; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D015151:Immunoblotting; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000276:immunology*; D009929:Organ Size; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000276:immunology*; D014181:Transplantation Immunology; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I