title: Islet allograft tolerance in the absence of invariant natural killer T cells.
abstract: The invariant NKT cells are involved in both immunity and immune tolerance. However, their roles in transplant models remain controversial. We studied the role of NKT cells in the allograft response using two different strains of NKT deficient mice (CD1d-/- and Jα18-/- mice), and found that CD1d-/- and Jα18-/- mice rejected islet allografts with a similar kinetics as wild type B6 mice. Treatment of CD1d-/- and Jα18-/- mice with donor specific transfusion and anti-CD154 induced donor specific tolerance, which was identical to similarly treated wt B6 mice. The islet allograft tolerance requires Foxp3(+) Tregs. In the periphery, Foxp3(+) Tregs in CD1d-/-, Jα18-/-, and wt B6 mice were comparable both phenotypically and functionally. In addition, CD1d-/- and Jα18-/- CD4(+) T cells (non-Tregs) could be readily converted to Foxp3(+) Tregs by TGF-β in vitro. Our data suggest that islet allograft tolerance can be successfully established without invariant NKT cells.
authors: Department of Microbiology, Peking University Health Sciences, Beijing, China.
authors: Xiufeng
authors: X
authors: Chu
authors: Elizabeth
authors: E
authors: Kilpatrick
authors: Xiang
authors: X
authors: Xiao
authors: Wentao
authors: W
authors: Liu
authors: Gulcin
authors: G
authors: Demirci
authors: Mark
authors: M
authors: Exley
authors: Xian C
authors: XC
authors: Li
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D055610:Antigens, CD1d / Q000276:immunology; D023201:CD40 Ligand / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000276:immunology; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000276:immunology; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000276:immunology; D016381:Islets of Langerhans Transplantation / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D055611:Natural Killer T-Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D023001:Transplantation Tolerance / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D055610:Antigens, CD1d; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; C498833:Foxp3 protein, mouse; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D023201:CD40 Ligand