Paradoxical functions of B7: CD28 costimulation in a MHC class II-mismatched cardiac transplant model.
Blockade of the B7: CD28 costimulatory pathway has emerged as a promising therapy to prevent allograft rejection. However, this pathway has also been demonstrated to be important for the generation and maintenance of regulatory T cells. In this study, we investigated the role of the B7: CD28 pathway in the 'bm12 into B6' MHC class II-mismatched vascularized cardiac transplant model of chronic rejection. Allograft rejection was remarkably accelerated in B6 background B7DKO and CD28KO recipients compared with B6 wild-type (WT) recipients. Allograft rejection was associated with a significantly enhanced Th1/Th2 alloreactivity and marked reduction in the ratio of regulatory T cells to CD4(+) effector/memory cells. We noted that administration of anti-B7-1 and anti-B7-2 mAb prior to transplantation also accelerated allograft rejection. Furthermore, depleting CD25(+) cells in B6 WT recipients of bm12 hearts prior to transplant also precipitated rejection at a similar rate. Neither B7/CD28 deficiency nor CD25 depletion affected graft survival in single MHC class I-mismatched (bm1 into B6) recipients. This study highlights the paradoxical functions of B7: CD28 costimulation in a MHC class II-mismatched model, in which the B7: CD28 pathway is demonstrated to be important in preventing rejection through the generation and maintenance of Tregs.
Transplantation Research Center, Renal Division, Brigham & Women's Hospital, Children's Hospital Boston, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
J
J
Yang
L V
LV
Riella
O
O
Boenisch
J
J
Popoola
S
S
Robles
T
T
Watanabe
V
V
Vanguri
X
X
Yuan
I
I
Guleria
L A
LA
Turka
M H
MH
Sayegh
A
A
Chandraker
D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D018122:B7-1 Antigen / Q000276:immunology*; D018106:CD28 Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D005802:Genes, MHC Class II; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000276:immunology*; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000276:immunology; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology*; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D018122:B7-1 Antigen; D018106:CD28 Antigens