Contribution of regulatory T cells and effector T cell deletion in tolerance induction by costimulation blockade.

Blocking of costimulatory signals for T cell activation leads to tolerance in several transplantation models, but the underlying mechanisms are incompletely understood. We analyzed the involvement of regulatory T cells (Treg) and deletion of alloreactive cells in the induction and maintenance of tolerance after costimulation blockade in a mouse model of graft-vs-host reaction. Injection of splenocytes from the C57BL/6 parent strain into a sublethally irradiated F(1) offspring (C57BL/6 x C3H) induced a GVHR characterized by severe pancytopenia.

Rapidly induced, T-cell independent xenoantibody production is mediated by marginal zone B cells and requires help from NK cells.

Xenoantibody production directed at a wide variety of T lymphocyte-dependent and T lymphocyte-independent xenoantigens remains the major immunologic obstacle for successful xenotransplantation. The B lymphocyte subpopulations and their helper factors, involved in T-cell-independent xenoantibody production are only partially understood, and their identification will contribute to the clinical applicability of xenotransplantation. Here we show, using models involving T-cell-deficient athymic recipient mice, that rapidly induced, T-cell-independent xenoantibody production is mediated by marginal zone B lymphocytes and requires help from natural killer (NK) cells.