Induction of human T-cell tolerance to pig xenoantigens via thymus transplantation in mice with an established human immune system

Am J Transplant. 2009 Jun;9(6):1324-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-6143.2009.02646.x. Epub 2009 May 20.

Abstract

Thymus xenotransplantation has been shown to induce tolerance to porcine xenografts in mice and to permit survival of alpha1,3Gal-transferase knockout porcine kidney xenografts for months in nonhuman primates. We evaluated the ability of porcine thymus xenotransplantation to induce human T-cell tolerance using a humanized mouse (hu-mouse) model, where a human immune system is preestablished by implantation of fetal human thymus tissue under the kidney capsule and intravenous injection of CD34(+) hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells. Human T-cell depletion with an anti-CD2 mAb following surgical removal of human thymic grafts prevented the initial rejection of porcine thymic xenografts in hu-mice. In these hu-mice, porcine thymic grafts were capable of supporting human thymopoiesis and T-cell development, and inducing human T-cell tolerance to porcine xenoantigens. Human T cells from these mice responded strongly to third-party pig, but not to the thymic donor swine leukocyte antigen (SLA)-matched pig stimulators in a mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) assay. Anti-pig xenoreactive antibodies declined in these hu-mice, whereas antibody levels increased in nontolerant animals that rejected porcine thymus grafts. These data show that porcine thymic xenotransplantation can induce donor-specific tolerance in immunocompetent hu-mice, supporting this approach for tolerance induction in clinical xenotransplantation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • CD2 Antigens / immunology
  • Humans
  • Immune Tolerance / immunology
  • Mice
  • Mice, SCID
  • Swine
  • Swine, Miniature
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • T-Lymphocytes / transplantation
  • Thymus Gland / transplantation*
  • Transplantation, Heterologous / immunology*

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • CD2 Antigens