title: Partially MHC-matched donor CD8+ T cells are indispensable for switching to splenocytic chimerism.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We have shown that partially major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-matched splenocytes can replace bone marrow (BM) and maintain skin grafts by establishing splenocytic chimeras. Our aim was to identify the population of splenocytes that are indispensible for switching from BM to splenocytic chimerism.
  
  
  METHODS
  C3H/B6D2F1 mixed BM chimeras were established in lethally irradiated C3H mice. Skin grafts from C57BL/6 mice were transplanted 30 d later. After an additional 30 d, splenocytes from B6C3F1 mice were transplanted to establish splenocytic BM chimeras using total splenocytes (group A), CD90(+)-depleted splenocytes (group B), CD4(+)-depleted splenocytes (group C), or CD8(+)-depleted splenocytes (group D).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In group A, the BM switched to splenocyte-derived BM chimeras. Total B6C3F1 splenocytes created stable splenocyte BM chimeras that permitted long-term retention of skin grafts, without rejection. In groups B and D, the splenocytes failed to replace the recipient BM, and there was no decrease in the number of recipient-derived BM cells compared with group A from d 14 to 28 after splenocyte injection, as was the case for CD8(+) T cells. In group C mice, the recipient BM was slowly and incompletely replaced.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Partially MHC-matched donor CD8(+) T cells are indispensable for generating splenocyte chimeras in BM and maintaining allogeneic skin grafts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Digestive Surgery, Nihon University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Naoko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kutsuna
authors.forename: Shintaro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yamazaki
authors.forename: Teruo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kaiga
authors.forename: Yoshinori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Inagaki
authors.forename: Yuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.forename: Shunji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Okada
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kanamoto
authors.forename: Tadatoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takayama
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000166:cytology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000637:transplantation; D008285:Major Histocompatibility Complex; D051379:Mice; D023421:Models, Animal; D016038:Skin Transplantation / Q000276:immunology*; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology*; D018183:Transplantation Chimera / Q000276:immunology*