ICAM-1 deficiency suppresses host allosensitization and rejection of MHC-disparate corneal transplants.
BACKGROUND
We used a murine model of orthotopic corneal transplantation to determine whether host deficiency in ICAM-1 promotes survival of corneal grafts with different degrees of allodisparity.


METHODS
ICAM-1-/- and wild-type C57BL/6 (ICAM-1+/+) received corneal grafts from the following strains of mice: BALB/c (fully mismatched), BALB.b (mismatched at multiple minor H only), or B10.D2 [including major histocompatibility complex (MHC) mismatch]. Graft rejection, induction of allospecific delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) responses, and leukocytic infiltration of grafts were measured.


RESULTS
There were no differences in long-term survival of allografts that were either fully mismatched or had only minor H disparity in ICAM-1+/+ vs. ICAM-1-/-hosts. However, whereas B10.D2 grafts were accepted in only 58% of the ICAM-1+/+ hosts, graft survival in ICAM-1-/- recipients was 100% (P=0.006). Moreover, none of the ICAM-1-/- mice receiving B10.D2 grafts developed allospecific DTH.


CONCLUSIONS
Prolonged survival seen in MHC-mismatched grafts in ICAM-1-/- mice, along with a suppressed DTH response to donor alloantigens after transplantation, suggest that ICAM-1 is associated with recipient sensitization to MHC alloantigens.
Zhu
S N
SN
Laboratory of Immunology, Schepens Eye Research Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Yamada
J
J
Streilein
J W
JW
Dana
M R
MR
D000818:Animals; D001787:Blood Group Incompatibility; D016039:Corneal Transplantation / Q000276:immunology*; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006085:Graft Survival; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control; D007114:Immunization; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D007519:Isoantigens / Q000276:immunology*; D008285:Major Histocompatibility Complex; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D013997:Time Factors
D007519:Isoantigens; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1