Haematopoietic stem cells can induce specific skin graft acceptance across full MHC barriers.
Previously, we and others have demonstrated in several animal models that the establishment of stable haematopoietic chimerism through allogeneic bone marrow transfusion provides an effective means for the development of specific transplantation tolerance. However, a major limitation to the clinical application of allogeneic bone marrow transfusion in immunosuppressed recipients for induction of tolerance to solid grafts, is the risk of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Therefore, it is important to identify the cell population needed for the induction of mixed chimerism and tolerance. Haematopoietic stem cells have the capacity of self-renewal and multilineage differentiation, and have been shown to reduce the risk of GVHD. We studied transfusion of two rich sources of stem cells, namely allogeneic fetal liver cells and a subset of purified bone marrow-derived progenitor cells (c-kit+) into anti-T cell monoclonal antibody-treated, low-dose irradiated recipient mice. Our data revealed that stable multilineage mixed chimerism and permanent donor-specific tolerance for skin, even when transplanted directly following conditioning, can be successfully achieved in this way, with no signs of GVHD.
de Vries-van der Zwan
A
A
Department of Transplantation Immunology, Central Laboratory of the Netherlands Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service, University of Amsterdam.
van der Pol
M A
MA
Besseling
A C
AC
de Waal
L P
LP
Boog
C J
CJ
D000818:Animals; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit; D016038:Skin Transplantation / Q000276:immunology*; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms; D018183:Transplantation Chimera / Q000276:immunology*
D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit