Beta7 integrins contribute to skin graft rejection.
BACKGROUND
Because integrins alpha4beta7 and alphaEbeta7 contribute to epidermotropism of T-cells during skin inflammation, we sought to study their role in skin allograft rejection.


METHODS
Wild-type (WT) (beta7+/+) and beta7 gene knockout (beta7-/-) C57BL/6 (H-2(b)) mice and SJL/J (H-2(s)) mice served as donors and recipients of allogeneic skin grafts. An anti-integrin beta7 subunit mAb (FIB504.64) was used to treat WT beta7+/+ C57BL/6 recipients of skin grafts from SJL/J mice.


RESULTS
WT C57BL/6 recipients acutely rejected skin from SJL/J mice in 13 days. In contrast, the survival of SJL/J skin on either beta7-/- gene knockout or WT C57BL/6 recipients treated with anti-beta7 subunit mAb, was prolonged by 6 to 7 additional days (P<0.01). The survival of skin allografts from either beta7-/- or beta7+/+ C57BL/6 mice received by SJL/J recipients was not prolonged (P >0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Beta7 integrins contribute to skin graft rejection, in accord with their role in mediating the epidermotropism of T-cells during skin inflammation.
Sun
Xueying
X
Department of Molecular Medicine and Pathology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, University of Auckland, 85 Park Road, Grafton, New Zealand.
Qiao
Haiquan
H
Shi
Jinyang
J
Kanwar
Jagat R
JR
Mueller
Werner
W
Wagner
Norbert
N
Krissansen
Geoffrey W
GW
D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000494:pharmacology; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006085:Graft Survival; D039641:Integrin beta Chains / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D008285:Major Histocompatibility Complex / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D016038:Skin Transplantation / Q000276:immunology*; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D039641:Integrin beta Chains; C091368:integrin beta7