CTLA-4 engagement and regulatory CD4+CD25+ T cells independently control CD8+-mediated responses under costimulation blockade.
Blockade of costimulatory signals is a promising therapeutic target to prevent allograft rejection. In this study, we sought to characterize to what extent CTLA-4 engagement contributes to the development of transplantation tolerance under the cover of CD40/CD40L and CD28/CD86 blockade. In vitro, we found that inhibition of the primary alloresponse and induction of alloantigen hyporesponsiveness by costimulation blockade was abrogated by anti-CTLA-4 mAb. In addition, regulatory CD4(+)CD25(+) T cells (T(REG)) were confirmed to play a critical role in the induction of hyporesponsiveness by anti-CD40L and anti-CD86 mAb. Our data indicated that CTLA-4 engagement is not required for activation or suppressor function of T(REG). Instead, in the absence of either CTLA-4 signaling or T(REG), CD8(+) T cell division was enhanced, whereas the inhibition of CD4(+) T cell division by costimulation blockade remained largely unaffected. In vivo, the administration of additional anti-CTLA-4 mAb abrogated anti-CD40L- and anti-CD86 mAb-induced cardiac allograft survival. Correspondingly, rejection was accompanied by enhanced allograft infiltration of CD8(+) cells. We conclude that CTLA-4 signaling and T(REG) independently cooperate in the inhibition of CD8(+) T cell expansion under costimulation blockade.
Coenen
Jeroen J A
JJ
Department of Bloodtransfusion and Transplantation Immunology, University Medical Center Nijmegen, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Koenen
Hans J P M
HJ
van Rijssen
Esther
E
Boon
Louis
L
Joosten
Irma
I
Hilbrands
Luuk B
LB
D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D000938:Antigen-Presenting Cells / Q000276:immunology; D015703:Antigens, CD; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D051940:B7-2 Antigen / Q000276:immunology; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D023201:CD40 Ligand / Q000276:immunology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D060908:CTLA-4 Antigen; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D007519:Isoantigens / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000276:immunology*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D015703:Antigens, CD; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation; D051940:B7-2 Antigen; D060908:CTLA-4 Antigen; C556707:Ctla4 protein, mouse; D007519:Isoantigens; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D023201:CD40 Ligand