title: Transfer of swine major histocompatibility complex class II genes into autologous bone marrow cells of baboons for the induction of tolerance across xenogeneic barriers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The present study examined the potential role of gene therapy in the induction of tolerance to anti-porcine major histocompatibility complex (SLA) class II-mediated responses after porcine renal or skin xenografts.
  
  
  METHODS
  Baboons were treated with a non-myeloablative or a myeloablative preparative regimen before bone marrow transplantation with autologous bone marrow cells retrovirally transduced to express both SLA class II DR and neomycin phosphotransferase (NeoR) genes, or the NeoR gene alone. Four months or more after bone marrow transplantation, the immunological response to a porcine kidney or skin xenograft was examined. Both the renal and skin xenografts were SLA DR-matched to the transgene, and recipients were conditioned by combinations of complement inhibitors, adsorption of natural antibodies, immunosuppressive therapy, and splenectomy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although the long-term presence of the SLA transgene was detected in the peripheral blood and/or bone marrow cells of all baboons, the transcription of the transgene was transient. Autopsy tissues were available from one animal and demonstrated expression of the SLA DR transgene in lymphohematopoietic tissues. After kidney and skin transplantation, xenografts were rejected after 8-22 days. Long-term follow-up of control animals demonstrated that high levels of induced IgG antibodies to new non-alphaGal epitopes developed after organ rejection. In contrast, induced non-alphaGal IgG antibody responses were minimal in the SLA DR-transduced baboons.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Transfer and expression of xenogeneic class II DR transgenes can be achieved in baboons. This therapy may prevent late T cell-dependent responses to porcine xenografts, which include induced non-alphaGal IgG antibody responses.
authors.affiliation: Transplantation Biology Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston 02114, USA.
authors.forename: F L
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Ierino
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gojo
authors.forename: P T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Banerjee
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Giovino
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gere
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kaynor
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Awwad
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Monroy
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rembert
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hatch
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Foley
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kozlowski
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: F A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Neethling
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fishman
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bailin
authors.forename: T R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Spitzer
authors.forename: D K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Cosimi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: LeGuern
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Sachs
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000502:physiology; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D007108:Immune Tolerance / Q000502:physiology*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000276:immunology; D010215:Papio / Q000235:genetics; D016038:Skin Transplantation / Q000276:immunology; D013552:Swine / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II