Abstract
Rejection of solid organ allograft involves alloreactive T-cell expansion. The importance of NF-κB and NFAT in this process is underscored by the therapeutic efficacy of immunosuppressive agents, which target the two transcription factors. Since calpains, calcium-activated proteases, are involved in the activation of NF-κB and NFAT, we investigated the role of calpains in allograft rejection. In human transplant kidneys undergoing acute or chronic rejection, we show an increased expression of CAPN 1 gene encoding μ-calpain, associated with a marked expression of μ-calpain, mainly in infiltrating T cells. To address the role of calpain in rejection, we used a skin transplant model in transgenic mice expressing high levels of calpastatin, a calpain-specific inhibitor. We show that calpain inhibition extended skin allograft survival, from 11 to 20 days. This delay was associated with a limitation in allograft infiltration by T cells. In vitro, calpain inhibition by calpastatin transgene expression limited dramatically T-cell migration but, unexpectedly, increased slightly T-cell proliferation. Amplification of IL-2 signaling via the stabilization of IL-2R common γ-chain provided an explanation for the proliferation response. This is the first study establishing that calpain inhibition delays allograft rejection by slowing down T-cell migration rather than proliferation.
Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Acrylates / therapeutic use
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Adoptive Transfer
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Animals
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Calcium-Binding Proteins / genetics
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Calcium-Binding Proteins / metabolism*
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Calpain / antagonists & inhibitors
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Calpain / genetics
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Calpain / metabolism*
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Cell Differentiation / genetics
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Cell Differentiation / immunology
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Cell Movement / genetics
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Cell Movement / immunology
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Cell Proliferation / drug effects
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Gene Expression / genetics
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Gene Expression / immunology
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Graft Rejection / immunology
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Graft Rejection / metabolism*
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Graft Rejection / pathology
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Graft Rejection / prevention & control
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Homeodomain Proteins / genetics
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Humans
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Interleukin-2 / metabolism
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Kidney / immunology
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Kidney / metabolism
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Kidney Transplantation / immunology
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Lymphocyte Activation / genetics
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Lymphocyte Activation / immunology
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Lymphocyte Culture Test, Mixed
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Male
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Mice
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Mice, Inbred BALB C
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Mice, Inbred C57BL
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Mice, Knockout
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Mice, Transgenic
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NF-kappa B / metabolism
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NFATC Transcription Factors / metabolism
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Skin Transplantation / immunology
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Skin Transplantation / pathology
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T-Lymphocytes / immunology
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T-Lymphocytes / metabolism
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T-Lymphocytes / pathology
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T-Lymphocytes / transplantation
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T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / immunology
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Th17 Cells / immunology
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Th17 Cells / metabolism
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Transplantation, Homologous
Substances
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Acrylates
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Calcium-Binding Proteins
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Homeodomain Proteins
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Interleukin-2
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NF-kappa B
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NFATC Transcription Factors
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Nfatc1 protein, mouse
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PD 150606
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RAG-1 protein
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calpastatin
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Calpain
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CAPN1 protein, human
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CAPNS1 protein, human
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CAPN2 protein, human