ObjectiveTo evaluate the effect of pre-infusion of allogeneic lymphoyctes treated with 5-FU on the rat liver graft. MethodsRat liver transplant models from Wistar to SD were established. Four groups were designed as following: control group: only liver transplantation without any other intervention; lymphocytes group: 1 ml of untreated lymphocytes (5×106/ml) from Wistar rats were preinfused into SD rats on day 7 and 4 separately before transplantation; lymphocytes with low concentration of 5-FU group: low concentration 5-FU (7.5 μg) treated lymphocytes were preinfused as above; lymphocytes with high concentration of 5-FU group: high concentration 5-FU (15 μg) treated lymphocytes were preinfused as above. Fas-L and CD8 expression were detected by immunohistochemistry method on day 7 after transplantation. ResultsThe integral opticaldensity (IOD) of Fas-L positive lymphocytes in the lobules of liver and portal areas were higher in lymphocytes with low concentration of 5-FU group than in the other groups （Plt;0.05）. There was no difference between lymphocyte group and lymphocytes with high concentration of 5-FU group （Pgt;0.05）. The IOD of CD8+ expression in lobules of liver was not different among all the three lymphocytes treated groups （Pgt;0.05）. But in portal areas, CD8+ expression was lower in the lymphocytes with low concentration of 5-FU group than in the other groups （Plt;0.05）. ConclusionPreinfusion of lymphocytes treated with low concentration 5-FU can induce graft immune tolerance, the probable mecanism of which is the increasing Fas-L expression in graft.
【Abstract】Objective This study was conducted to build experimental model of orthotopic liver transplantation in rat (ROLT) with the character of acute rejection; and to study the effect of cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen 4 immunoglobulin G (CTLA4Ig) on prevention of rejection and the induction of immune tolerance of ROLT. Methods Build model of Wistar→SD ROLT(performed by the two cuff method) with character of acute rejection.Recipients were injected with CTLA4Ig 75 μg per ROLT into abdominal cavity after 2 days of operation. Contrast was made with no treatment group, the clinical characters, the liver function, the transplantated liver pathologic character and the concentrations of TNFα in serum were observed and measured on postoperative day 7. In treatment group, all above observation were done on postoperative month 4. Above all, determination of the effect of CTLA4Ig on preventing acute rejection and inducing tolerance in ROLT was observed.Results ①Recipients (no treatment group) died one by one within 6th～14th days; pathologic character of rejection in transplantation liver could be found; ② In treatment group, on postoperative day 7 and month 4, no clinical rejection character and no pathologic character of rejection in transplantation liver were found and serum concentration of cytokins related to TNFα found lower than that of contrast group(P＜0.05), and serum concentration of ALT、AST、TBIL、DBIL found lower too(P＜0.05); But serum concentration of TP and Alb was found higher than that of contrast group(P＜0.05). Conclusion ① CTLA4Ig treatment alone inhibits the rejection responce in ROLT. ② CTLA4Ig treatment can Prevent rejection and induce immune tolerance in ROLT model with characters of acute rejection; the serum concentration of cytokins related to TNFα can probably be used as evaluation standard of rejection in ROLT rejection.
Objective To observe the effect of transfer of immature mouse myeloid dendritic cells （DC） generated with low-dose granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor （GM-CSF） on cardiac allograft survival. Methods Mouse DC were generated with standard doses or low doses GM-CSF from bone marrow cells, the phenotype and functional properties of these DC were compared through fluorescence-activated cell sorting（FACS） analysis and mixed lymphocyte reaction（MLR）, 1. 0 × 106 DC generated with low doses GM-CSF were administered to the recipients 7 days before transplantation, and the cardiac allograft survival were observed. Results In contrast to DC generated with standard doses, DC generated with low doses were phenotypically immature DC （CD11c＋, CD80- , CD86- , MHCⅡlow）, and induced allogeneic T cell unresponsiveness, and administration of these DC to recipients prolonged cardiac allograft survival from 6.3±1.2 days to 14.3±1.9 days. Conclusions DC generated from mouse bone marrow progenitors in low doses of GM-CSF are phenotypically and functionally immature, and prolong cardiac allograft survival when they are administered 7 clays before transplantation.
Objective To investigate the expression of transcription factor Foxp3 in the orthotopic liver transplantation by using the inbred rats with spontaneous immune tolerance. Methods The model of orthotopic liver transplantation was established on inbred rats according to double-sleeve technique. The total RNA that was isolated from liver was reversely transcribed into cDNA. The method of real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (RFQ-PCR) was used to analyze the expression level of Foxp3 mRNA in tolerance group and syngeneic group, respectively. The expression of Scurfin in hepatic tissue was assayed by Western blot and then was analyzed by computer imaging system. Results The expression levels of Foxp3 mRNA and Scurfin in the transplanted liver were significantly lower than those of normal liver within the first week after transplantation. The level of Foxp3 mRNA began to increase on day 7 and reached the peak point on day 14. The expression level of Foxp3 mRNA began to decrease on day 30 but was still higher than the normal value (P＜0.05). The Western blot showed resemble changes on that of Scurfin. Conclusion Transcription factor Foxp3 may play an important role in the spontaneous immune tolerance in the orthotopic liver transplantation of inbred rat.
ObjectiveTo approach the role of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells in the maintenance of immunotolerance in mouse liver allograft. MethodsThe mouse orthotopic liver transplantation was performed. After the liver transplantation immunotolerance induction, antiCD25 monoclonal antibody (PC61) was injected into the recipients with a delayed timing to remove the CD4+CD25+ T cells. The percentage of CD4+CD25+ T cells and the expression of forkhead/winged helix transcription factor (Foxp3) in the recipients were examined. Furthermore, the survival time of the recipient was observed. ResultsC3H/HeJ recipients receiving DBA/2 hepatic allografts survived over 70 d as in the syngeneic liver transplantation (C3H/HeJ recipients receiving C3H/HeJ hepatic grafts). With various protocols of the delayed PC61 treatment, the CD4+CD25+ T cell was completely disappeared as observed. However, the removal of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells after the induction of transplantation immunotolerance did not affect the survival of hepatic allografts. ConclusionCD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells are not essential for the maintenance of spontaneous mouse liver transplantation immunotolerance.
Objective To explore the effect of cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA4-Ig) fusion protein on the function of orthotopic liver allograft. Methods Orthotopic liver allograft models of rhesus monkeys were established in this study. The survival time, liver function and morphologic changes of graft were observed, respectively. The levels of IL-2 and IL-10 were detected by ELISA. Apoptosis was monitored by TUNEL.Results The average survival of control group was 6.57 d, while the average survival of CTLA4-Ig group was 14.92 d, which was statistically prolonged (Plt;0.05). Serum ALT level was highly increased, and Alb level decreased obviously in control group. While the levels of ALT and Alb kept in normal in CTLA4-Ig group. After day 3-7, the expressions of IL-2 were highly expressed in control group, while the expressions of IL-10 in CTLA4-Ig group were higher than those of control group. The severity of rejection reaction after day 3 was weaker in CTLA4-Ig group than that of control group by histological assessment. The apoptosis index after day 3 in the liver cells was highly increased in control group as compared with the CTLA4-Ig group. Conclusions CTLA4-Ig fusion protein therapy can induce immunotolerance and prolong the survival of recipients. The increasing of cytokines IL-2 or the decreasing of cytokines IL-10 may be one of the laboratory indexes in monitoring immunotolerance of transplantation.
Objective To study the effect of anti-CD40L monoclonal antibody on the rejection of rat pancreatic islet xenografts and its mechanism. Methods The animal models of human-rat pancreatic islet xenografts were established and were treated with anti-CD40L monoclonal antibody. The levels of blood glucose of transplantation rats were measured and the survival of grafts and transplantation rats were observed after transplantation. The morphological changes of grafts were observed and the levels of cytokines (IL-2 and TNF-α) were quantified by ELISA. Results ①Level of blood glucose in all the rats with diabetes decreased to normal on day (2.3±0.2) after transplantation. The average level blood glucose of control group began to increase on day (8.1±0.6), while the treatment group began to increase on day (18.5±1.2) after transplantation, which was significantly postponed compared with control respectively (P＜0.01). ②Grafts of treatment group and control group survived for (22±8.2) and (10±2.1) days respectively. Survival of grafts in treatment group was significant longer than that in control group (P＜0.01). ③Survival of transplantation rats were (35±6.5) and (21±5.7) days in treatment group and control group respectively. The survival of transplantation rats in treatment group was significant longer than that in control group (P＜0.05). ④Levels of serum IL-2 and TNF-α in control group increased dramatically within (3.2±0.3) days and reached peak within (7.3±0.5) days after transplantation, which were significantly higher than those measured before transplantation (P＜0.01); While in treatment group, the levels of serum IL-2 and TNF-α began to increase on day (22.6±1.7) after transplantation, and reached peak on day (28.5±2.2), which was significantly postponed than those in control group (P＜0.01). Conclusion Anti-CD40L monoclonal antibody can inhibit the rejection of rat pancreatic islet xenografts and prolong the survival time of transplantation rats and grafts.
Objective To investigate the effect of pre-infusion with allogeneic lymphocytes treated by 5-FU on inducting immune tolerance of liver transplantation in rats. Methods Wistar and SD rats were used as liver transplantation donors and recipients, respectively. They were divided into 4 groups as following: control group: liver was transplanted from Wistar to SD rats without any other treatment; lymphocytes group: recipient was pre-infused lymphocytes （5×106 cell/ml, 1 ml） from Wistar rat 7 d and 4 d separately before transplantation; low concentration of 5-FU with lymphocytes group: lymphocytes were treated by 5-FU (7.5 μg) before pre-infusion; high concentration of 5-FU with lymphocytes group: lymphocytes were treated by 5-FU (15 μg) before pre-infusion. Pathological changes were observed on day 7 after liver transplantation. Results Acute slight rejection was observed in low concentration of 5-FU with lymphocytes group: liver cell cords were well-arranged basically, hepatic lobules structures could be observed, a few inflammatory cells infiltrated around central veins, and a few lymphocytes infiltrated around portal area. Acute severe rejection was observed in control group, and acute moderate rejection was observed in high concentration of 5-FU with lymphocytes group and lymphocytes group. Conclusion Pre-infusion of lymphocytes treated with low level 5-FU can induce immune tolerance better in recipients after liver transplantation.
Objective To study the immunological tolerance induced by blocking the second signal of T cell with extrinsic cytotoxic T lymphocyteassociated antigen 4 immuno globlin(CTLA4-Ig). Methods Fifty-four BALB/C mice, inbred strains, were employed as recipients of bone allografts, using a model of heterotopic muscle pouch. The 54 mice were divided into 3 groups and18 for each group. The first group, in which the donor was C57BL/6 with intraperitoneal injection ofL6(as a control), was named AL group. The second group,also C57BL/6 with injection CTLA4-Ig, was named AC group. The third group,homologous BALB/C with injection of PBS buffer solution, was named AB group.The serum antibody, lymphocyte proliferation of the second stimulation by splenic cell and bone supernatant of donor, the analysis of lymphocyte subsets, a regraft experiment and histology were determined 2, 4 and 6 weeks after transplantation. The second transplantation was to regraft C57BL/6(BC group) and C3H(BHgroup) mice respectively after first 12 mice being transplantated with C57BL/6 and injected with CTLA4-Ig as to detect donor-specificity of immunological tolerance. Results Compared with AB group, AL group created more intensive immune rejection: CD4 T cell subsets(Plt;0.05), the serum antibody(Plt;0.05) and lymphocyteproliferation of the second stimulation by splenic cell and bone supernatant ofdonor (Plt;0.01 and 0.05) were significantly increased. However, the results of AC group showed that CTLA4-Ig significantly inhibited the immune rejection: CD4T cell subsets(Pgt;0.05), the serum antibody (Pgt;0.05), and lymphocyte proliferation of the second stimulation(Pgt;0.05) were similar to those of AB group. Histological observation of AC group showed that lymphocyte infiltration disappeared,cartilage and new bone formed, and bone marrow cavities emerged. A regraft experiment showed that CD4 T cell subsets (Plt;0.05) and lymphocyte proliferation of the second stimulation by splenic cell and bone supernatant of donor(Plt;0.05), BC group was significantly lower than those of BH group. So theimmunological tolerance induced by CTLA4-Ig was of donor-specificity. Conclusion The immunological tolerance induced by CTLA4-Ig was prolonged for 6 weeks. This study provides a brand-new path for bone transplantation, which can be helpful to other organ transplantation.