CD45RC gammadelta T-cell infiltration is associated with immunologic unresponsiveness induced by prior donor-specific blood transfusion in rat hepatic allografts.
Little is known regarding the role of gammadelta(+) T cells in organ transplantation. We previously reported that immunologic unresponsiveness is induced by prior donor-specific blood transfusion (DST) in rat hepatic allografts. We investigated the phenotype and distribution of gammadelta(+) T cells in the hepatic allograft, spleen, and peripheral blood of recipient rats with immunologic unresponsiveness induced by DST. gammadelta(+) T cells were enumerated in allograft livers and spleens by immunostaining and in blood by flow cytometric analysis. The phenotype of gammadelta(+) T cells was determined using CD45RC isoforms derived from alternative mRNA splicing. The cytokine profile of CD45RC(+) and CD45RC(-) gammadelta(+) T cells was analyzed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The number of gammadelta(+) T cells in hepatic infiltrates in recipient rats pretreated with DST was significantly greater than in untreated animals. This correlated with significantly higher levels of gammadelta T cell receptor (TCR) mRNA in hepatic allografts of DST-treated rats as compared with untreated animals. The gammadelta(+) T cell/alphabeta(+) T-cell ratio increased in hepatic infiltrates in DST-treated recipient rats but not in untreated animals. CD45RC(-)gammadelta(+) T cells were predominantly increased in DST-treated hepatic allografts compared with untreated allografts. Most of the intestinal intraepithelial T cells were CD45RC(-)gammadelta(+). Interleukin (IL)-10 and IL-4 mRNA were detected more in CD45RC(-)gammadelta(+) T cells than CD45RC(+)gammadelta(+) T cells. CD45RC(-)gammadelta(+) T cells infiltrating liver allografts produce Th2-type cytokines and are associated with immunologic unresponsiveness induced by DST.
Okabe
K
K
Department of Surgery II, Kumamoto University Medical School, Kitakyushu, Japan.
Yamaguchi
Y
Y
Takai
E
E
Ohshiro
H
H
Zhang
J L
JL
Hidaka
H
H
Ishihara
K
K
Uchino
S
S
Furuhashi
T
T
Yamada
S
S
Mori
K
K
Ogawa
M
M
D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000276:immunology; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D008099:Liver / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011912:Rats, Inbred ACI; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / Q000032:analysis*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D014019:Tissue Donors; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens