title: Treatment with mPEG-SPA improves the survival of corneal grafts in rats by immune camouflage.
abstract: We investigated the immune camouflage effects of methoxy polyethylene glycol succinimidyl propionate (mPEG-SPA) on corneal antigens and explored a novel approach for reducing corneal antigenicity, thereby decreasing corneal graft rejection. Importantly, this approach did not alter normal local immunity. Corneal grafts were treated with mPEG-SPA 5KD or 20KD (3% W/V), which could shield major histocompatibility antigen class I molecules (RT1-A) of corneal grafts. Skin grafts of Wistar rats were transplanted to SD rats. Then the splenic lymphocytes were isolated from SD rats. Subsequently, the lymphocytes were co-cultured with autologous corneal grafts or untreated corneal grafts and PEGylated grafts treated with mPEG-SPA 5KD or 20KD obtained from the counterpart skin donors, which were used as autologous control, allogeneic control, mPEG-SPA 5KD group and mPEG-SPA 20KD group, respectively. Lymphocyte proliferation was lower in mPEG-SPA 5KD group and mPEG-SPA 20KD group than in the allogeneic control. SD rats with corneal neovascularisation were used as recipients for high-risk corneal transplantation and were randomly divided into four groups: autologous control, allogeneic control, mPEG-SPA 5KD group and mPEG-SPA 20KD group. The recipients received corneal grafts from Wistar rats. Corneal graft survival was prolonged and graft rejection was reduced in the mPEG-SPA 5KD group and the mPEG-SPA 20KD group compared to the allogeneic control. Thus, we think that mPEG-SPA could immunologically camouflage corneal antigens to prolong corneal grafts survival in high-risk transplantation.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: tiannuo1979@163.com.
authors.forename: Shuangyong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: 874758550@qq.com.
authors.forename: Liangliang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: 12134046@qq.com.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: 905447060@qq.com.
authors.forename: Chaoyang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: 459849215@qq.com.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: 46559388@qq.com.
authors.forename: Bowen
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: 46586250@qq.com.
authors.forename: Zheqian
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: ice.freeport@163.com.
authors.forename: Xinbo
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: wzc0001@sina.com.
authors.forename: Zhichong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D003315:Cornea / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D016039:Corneal Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D006085:Graft Survival; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000737:chemistry; D007107:Immune System; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D016207:Cytokines; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; C556225:methoxypolyethylene glycol-succinimidyl-propionic acid ester; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols
keywords: Corneal grafts; Immune camouflage; Methoxy polyethylene glycol succinimidyl propionate; Transplant rejection