title: Immune-privileged embryonic Swiss mouse STO and STO cell-derived progenitor cells: major histocompatibility complex and cell differentiation antigen expression patterns resemble those of human embryonic stem cell lines.
abstract: Embryonic mouse STO (S, SIM; T, 6-thioguanine resistant; O, ouabain resistant) and 3(8)21-enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) cell lines exhibit long-term survival and hepatic progenitor cell behaviour after xenogeneic engraftment in non-immunosuppressed inbred rats, and were previously designated major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I- and class II-negative lines. To determine the molecular basis for undetectable MHC determinants, the expression and haplotype of H-2K, H-2D, H-2L and I-A proteins were reassessed by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), cDNA sequencing, RNA hybridization, immunoblotting, quantitative RT-PCR (QPCR), immunocytochemistry and flow cytometry. To detect cell differentiation (CD) surface antigens characteristic of stem cells, apoptotic regulation or adaptive immunity that might facilitate progenitor cell status or immune privilege, flow cytometry was also used to screen untreated and cytokine [interferon (IFN)-gamma]-treated cultures. Despite prior PCR genotyping analyses suggestive of H-2q haplotypes in STO, 3(8)21-EGFP and parental 3(8)21 cells, all three lines expressed H-2K cDNA sequences identical to those of d-haplotype BALB/c mice, as well as constitutive and cytokine-inducible H-2K(d) determinants. In contrast, apart from H-2L(d[LOW]) display in 3(8)21 cells, H-2Dd, H-2Ld and I-Ad determinants were undetectable. All three lines expressed constitutive and cytokine-inducible CD34; however, except for inducible CD117([LOW]) expression in 3(8)21 cells, no expression of CD45, CD117, CD62L, CD80, CD86, CD90.1 or CD95L/CD178 was observed. Constitutive and cytokine-inducible CD95([LOW]) expression was detected in STO and 3(8)21 cells, but not in 3(8)21-EGFP cells. MHC (class I(+[LOW])/class II-) and CD (CD34+/CD80-/CD86-/CD95L-) expression patterns in STO and STO cell-derived progenitor cells resemble patterns reported for human embryonic stem cell lines. Whether these patterns reflect associations with mechanisms that are regulatory of immune privilege or functional tissue-specific plasticity is unknown.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0636, USA. kkoch@ucsd.edu
authors.forename: Katherine S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Koch
authors.forename: Kyung-Hwa
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Son
authors.forename: Rene
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Maehr
authors.forename: Illenia
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pellicciotta
authors.forename: Hidde L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Ploegh
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zanetti
authors.forename: Stewart
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sell
authors.forename: Hyam L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Leffert
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002460:Cell Line; D019070:Cell Lineage; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005805:Genes, MHC Class I; D005802:Genes, MHC Class II; D006183:H-2 Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D006239:Haplotypes; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology; D008285:Major Histocompatibility Complex; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000943:Antigens, Differentiation; D006183:H-2 Antigens; C024755:H-2K(K) antigen; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin; D007371:Interferon-gamma