title: Rapamycin and interleukin-10 treatment induces T regulatory type 1 cells that mediate antigen-specific transplantation tolerance.
abstract: Islet transplantation is a cure for type 1 diabetes, but its potential is limited by the need for constant immunosuppression. One solution to this problem is the induction of transplantation tolerance mediated by T regulatory cells. T regulatory type 1 (Tr1) cells are characterized by their production of high levels of interleukin (IL)-10, which is crucial for their differentiation and suppressive function. We investigated the effects of IL-10 administered in combination with rapamycin on the induction of Tr1 cells that could mediate a state of tolerance in diabetic mice after pancreatic islet transplantation. The efficacy of this treatment was compared with IL-10 alone and standard immunosuppression. Stable long-term tolerance that was not reversible by alloantigen rechallenge was achieved only in mice treated with rapamycin plus IL-10. Tr1 cells that produced high levels of IL-10 and suppressed T-cell proliferation were isolated from splenocytes of rapamycin plus IL-10-treated mice after treatment withdrawal. In rapamycin plus IL-10-treated mice, endogenous IL-10 mediated an active state of tolerance, as was observed when the blockade of IL-10 activity rapidly induced graft rejection >100 days after transplantation. CD4(+) T-cells from rapamycin plus IL-10-treated mice transferred antigen-specific tolerance in mice that received new transplants. Thus rapamycin plus IL-10 not only prevented allograft rejection but also induced Tr1 cells that mediated stable antigen-specific, long-term tolerance in vivo.
authors.affiliation: San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (HSR-TIGET), Via Olgettina 58, 20132 Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Manuela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Battaglia
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stabilini
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Draghici
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gregori
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mocchetti
authors.forename: Ezio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bonifacio
authors.forename: Maria-Grazia
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Roncarolo
mesh_terms: D019264:Adoptive Transfer; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D007108:Immune Tolerance / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology*; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000187:drug effects; D016381:Islets of Langerhans Transplantation / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D020123:Sirolimus / Q000494:pharmacology*; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016753:Interleukin-10; D020123:Sirolimus