title: A continuous infusion of a minor histocompatibility antigen-immunodominant peptide induces a delay of male skin graft rejection.
abstract: We previously reported that an inhibition of antigen-specific Interferon-gamma release and cytotoxicity occurs after a continuous infusion of an HY immunodominant peptide although this treatment is not able to cause a significant delay of male skin grafts rejection. In vivo administration of high doses of an HY peptide, through mini-osmotic pumps, in naïve female mice was used to study the effects on the male skin grafts rejection. A continuous infusion of 1mg of an HY peptide induces a significant delay of male skin graft rejection. In vitro HY-specific Interferon-gamma release was inhibited adding peptide-specific suppressor cells: the ability to inhibit Interferon-gamma release was evident when two HY peptides were present on the same dendritic cells indicating that the suppressor cells exert "linked-suppression". The phenotype of the suppressor cells is CD8(+)CD28(-) and these cells express more CD62 ligand and FOXP3 than controls. Suppressor cells were able to cause a significant delay of rejection of male skin grafts when injected in naive female mice. The inhibitory effects of these suppressor cells seem to be due to the impairment of antigen presentation; down-regulation of B7 molecules on dendritic cells occurred. Taken all together, our data demonstrate that a continuous infusion of an immunodominant HY peptide induces a T CD8 suppressor subset able to inhibit immune responses to male tissues and cells.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Biopatologia e Metodologie Biomediche, Università di Palermo, Corso Tukory 211, 90134 Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sireci
authors.forename: Annalisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Barera
authors.forename: Pasquale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Macaluso
authors.forename: Caterina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Di Sano
authors.forename: Cesira T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Bonanno
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pio La Manna
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Di Liberto
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dieli
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Salerno
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017951:Antigen Presentation; D018122:B7-1 Antigen / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic / Q000187:drug effects; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D019040:E-Selectin; D005260:Female; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D006182:H-Y Antigen / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016056:Immunodominant Epitopes / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D007260:Infusion Pumps; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D015778:Minor Histocompatibility Antigens / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016038:Skin Transplantation; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D018122:B7-1 Antigen; D019040:E-Selectin; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; C498833:Foxp3 protein, mouse; D006182:H-Y Antigen; D016056:Immunodominant Epitopes; D015778:Minor Histocompatibility Antigens; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D007371:Interferon-gamma