Differential splenic migration of dendritic cells after immunologic unresponsiveness in rat hepatic allografts induced by pretransplant donor-specific transfusion.
BACKGROUND
Donor dendritic cells migrate into the recipient spleen after hepatic transplantation. We previously reported that immunologic unresponsiveness to rat hepatic allografts can be induced by prior donor-specific blood transfusion (DST). We investigated the phenotype and splenic distribution of donor dendritic cells after allografting and DST.


METHODS
Donor dendritic cells were identified with anti-rat dendritic cell (OX-62) and anti-donor class II MHC (RT1B(a)) (OX-76) antibodies. The phenotype of dendritic cells was determined with antibodies to CD45RC, CD62L, and the maturation markers CD80 (B7-1) and CD86 (B7-2). The cytokine profile of sorted CD45RC(+) OX-62(+) and CD45RC(-) OX-62(+) dendritic cells was analyzed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).


RESULTS
Pretransplant DST significantly prolonged rat hepatic allograft survival. Immunostaining revealed OX76(+)/OX-62(+) cells in the splenic red pulp of animals receiving pretransplant DST and in the white pulp of untreated animals after transplantation. The ratio of splenic CD45RC(-) OX-62(+) cells to CD45RC(+) OX-62(+) cells was significantly higher in DST recipients than in untreated animals. CD62L, CD80, and CD86 were lower on CD45RC(-) OX-62(+) than CD45RC(+) OX-62(+) cells. RT-PCR revealed that sorted CD45RC(-) OX-62(+) cells expressed interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-10. In contrast, sorted CD45RC(+) OX-62(+) cells expressed only IL-2 and interferon gamma (IFN-gamma).


CONCLUSIONS
Differential splenic migration of CD45RC(-) dendritic cells is associated with immunologic unresponsiveness to rat hepatic allografts.
Ohshiro
H
H
Department of Surgery II, Kumamoto University Medical School, Kumamoto, Japan.
Yamaguchi
Y
Y
Okabe
K
K
Takai
E
E
Goto
M
M
Zhang
J L
JL
Uchino
S
S
Yamada
S
S
Ishihara
K
K
Furuhashi
T
T
Mori
K
K
Ikeda
S
S
Sera
Y
Y
Ogawa
M
M
D000818:Animals; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D002465:Cell Movement; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000502:physiology; D006085:Graft Survival; D007107:Immune System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D011300:Preoperative Care; D051381:Rats; D011912:Rats, Inbred ACI; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D013154:Spleen / Q000473:pathology*; D014019:Tissue Donors; D019172:Transplantation Conditioning / Q000379:methods; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens