Expression of H60 on mice heart graft and influence of cyclosporine.
OBJECTIVE
It has been reported that the MHC class I chain-related antigen (MIC), a ligand of NKG2D, an activating receptor of natural killer cells, is expressed on rejected renal allografts. This study investigated whether heart transplantation induced expression of a homologue of MIC (H60) in outbred Kun Ming (KM) mice, widely used in China, and whether CsA had an influence on the process.


METHODS
Forty-eight KM female mice were divided into untreated and CsA-treated groups, after cervical heart allotransplantation. Grafts were harvested 1, 3, 5, and 7 days postoperatively. H60 mRNA was analyzed by RT-PCR, and the protein detected by immunohistochemistry.


RESULTS
Compared with no mRNA expression in the normal heart, H60 mRNA was observed at day 5 and upregulated on day 7 in the untreated group. It was detected on day 3, peaked on day 5, but was lower than untreated group, and decreased on day 7 in the CsA-treated group. H60 protein was detected in cardiocytes only on day 7 in the untreated group.


CONCLUSIONS
Our study suggested that expression of the NKG2D ligand, H60, may activate natural killer cells playing a significant role in innate immunity associated with transplantation. The early expression of H60 mRNA on day 3 in the CsA-treated group might relate to the toxicity of CsA. The expression peaked on day 5 and decreased on day 7, possibly induced by CsA. The results suggested that H60 might be a new target for prevention of rejection.
Ye
Z
Z
Lab of Transplant Engineering and Immunology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Guoxuexiang 37, Chengdu 610041, P.R. China.
Feng
L
L
Huang
S
S
Li
S
S
He
Y
Y
Li
Y
Y
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000627:therapeutic use* / Q000633:toxicity; D017931:DNA Primers; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000276:immunology*; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000633:toxicity; D051379:Mice; D015778:Minor Histocompatibility Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
D017931:DNA Primers; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D015778:Minor Histocompatibility Antigens; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C114735:minor H antigen H60; D016572:Cyclosporine