Preferential blockade of CD8(+) T cell responses by administration of anti-CD137 ligand monoclonal antibody results in differential effect on development of murine acute and chronic graft-versus-host diseases.
We investigated the effect of CD137 costimulatory blockade in the development of murine acute and chronic graft-vs-host diseases (GVHD). The administration of anti-CD137 ligand (anti-CD137L) mAb at the time of GVHD induction ameliorated the lethality of acute GVHD, but enhanced IgE and anti-dsDNA IgG autoantibody production in chronic GVHD. The anti-CD137L mAb treatment efficiently inhibited donor CD8(+) T cell expansion and IFN-gamma expression by CD8(+) T cells in both GVHD models and CD8(+) T cell-mediated cytotoxicity against host-alloantigen in acute GVHD. However, a clear inhibition of donor CD4(+) T cell expansion and activation has not been observed. On the contrary, in chronic GVHD, the number of CD4(+) T cells producing IL-4 was enhanced by anti-CD137L mAb treatment. This suggests that the reduction of CD8(+) T cells producing IFN-gamma promotes Th2 cell differentiation and may result in exacerbation of chronic GVHD. Our results highlight the effective inactivation of CD8(+) T cells and the lesser effect on CD4(+) T cell inactivation by CD137 blockade. Intervention of the CD137 costimulatory pathway may be beneficial for some selected diseases in which CD8(+) T cells are major effector or pathogenic cells. Otherwise, a combinatorial approach will be required for intervention of CD4(+) T cell function.
Nozawa
K
K
Department of Immunology, National Children's Medical Research Center, Tokyo, Japan.
Ohata
J
J
Sakurai
J
J
Hashimoto
H
H
Miyajima
H
H
Yagita
H
H
Okumura
K
K
Azuma
M
M
D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology*; D000917:Antibody Formation; D015703:Antigens, CD; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000502:physiology; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D017475:Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor / Q000502:physiology*; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000502:physiology*; D016097:Simian Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000276:immunology; D053261:Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Superfamily, Member 9
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D015703:Antigens, CD; D017475:Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; C505715:Tnfrsf9 protein, mouse; D053261:Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Superfamily, Member 9; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma