title: Immune tolerance of skin allograft transplantation induced by immature dendritic cells of a third party carrying donor antigens in mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dendritic cells (DCs) are the most powerful antigen-presenting cells in the body. Immature DCs (imDCs) can induce transplantation tolerance. In this study, using a mouse model of skin transplantation. We explored the antigen uptake by imDCs, changes in phenotype and function after antigen loading, as well as survival of skin grafts.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mononuclear cells from C57BL/6 mice mixed with a tritiated leucine ([(3)H]Leu) antigen supernate were incubated with Kunming mice imDC and mature DCs. We recorded the expressions of surface molecules that were detected using flow cytometry, mixed lymphocyte reactions, mean survival times, and postoperative morphological changes in skin grafts.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After the addition of allogeneic antigen supernate, the counts per minute of imDCs were significantly higher than those of mature DCs. The expression rates of I(A)/I(E) and CD80 significantly increased on the cell surface of imDCs. The counts per minute of imDCs in mixed lymphocyte reactions in the presence of allogeneic antigens was significantly higher than those of controls. Comparing mean survival times with controls, skin grafts were significantly longer in the imDCs groups from donors or from a third party carrying donor antigens.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ImDCs display a strong antigen uptake, gradually maturing in terms of phenotype and function after loading. Complementary application of cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 immunoglobulin blocks the immune response of imDCs. Both imDCs from the third party carrying donor antigens and those from the donor strain can establish antigen-specific immune tolerance to allogeneic skin grafts.
authors.affiliation: Burn and Plastic Surgery Department of PLA 181 Hospital, Guilin, Guangxi, China.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xin
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: You
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Peng
mesh_terms: D000069594:Abatacept; D000818:Animals; D000941:Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000637:transplantation*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D018796:Immunoconjugates / Q000494:pharmacology; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D007959:Lymphocyte Culture Test, Mixed; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010641:Phenotype; D016038:Skin Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology*; D013997:Time Factors; D023001:Transplantation Tolerance / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000941:Antigens; D018796:Immunoconjugates; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D000069594:Abatacept