Work

Normal Development in Porcine Thymus Grafts and Specific Tolerance of Human T Cells to Porcine Donor MHC

Year: 1999

Type: article

Abstract: The induction of T cell tolerance is likely to play an essential role in successful xenotransplantation in humans. In this study, we show that porcine thymus grafts in immunodeficient mice support normal development of polyclonal, functional human T cells. These T cells were specifically tolerant to MHC Ags of the porcine thymus donor and responded to nondonor porcine xenoantigens and alloantigens. Exogenous IL-2 did not abolish tolerance, suggesting central clonal deletion rather than anergy as the likely tolerance mechanism. Our study suggests that the thymic transplantation approach to achieving tolerance with restoration of immunocompetence may be applicable to xenotransplantation of pig tissues to humans.

Source: The Journal of Immunology

DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.162.6.3402

Authors: Boris Nikolic, Jason P Gardner, David T Scadden, J Scott Arn, David H Sachs, Megan Sykes

Institutions: Harvard University, Massachusetts General Hospital

Language: English

Topic: Xenotransplantation and immune response

Subfield: Surgery

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,500