Characterization of monoclonal antibodies against porcine pulmonary alveolar macrophages of gnotobiotic miniature swine.

There is no sufficient porcine specific antibody available to investigate the ontogeny and development of porcine pulmonary alveolar macrophage (PAM). Therefore, several mouse anti-porcine macrophage mAbs have been produced and characterized in this study. First, the monoclonal antibody PM18-7, an IgG1, kappa isotype, bound to 91% of PAM, 6% of monocytes, and 2% of granulocytes indicating PM18-7 was found to be PAM specific.

Establishment of major histocompatibility complex homozygous gnotobiotic miniature swine colony for xenotransplantation.

To overcome shortages of human donor organs for organ failure patients, we made a commitment to develop gnotobiotic miniature swine as an alternative organ donor source for xenotransplantation. For this, we have constructed an absolute barrier-sustained gnotobiotic facility. Pregnant sows of gnotobiotic miniature swine, were procured and germfree piglets were obtained by hysterectomy.

Establishment and characterization of endothelial cell lines from the aorta of miniature pig for the study of xenotransplantation.

Pig endothelial cells are the first cells to interact with human immune components after organ xenotransplantation, which is a procedure currently considered to be the best treatment option for end-stage organ failure. It is, therefore, essential to study the mechanisms of molecular interaction between pig endothelial cells and human immune components, in order to overcome xenograft rejection. The aim of this study was to establish immortalized pig aortic endothelial cell lines, in order to facilitate future in vitro studies of human anti-pig immune responses.

Thomsen-Friedenreich (T) antigen expression increases sensitivity of natural killer cell lysis of cancer cells.

In this study, we demonstrate a correlation between T antigen expression on a panel of human carcinoma cell lines and their sensitivity to porcine NK cell lysis. Specifically, the more T antigen is expressed, the more sensitive the cancer cells are to porcine NK cell lysis. Furthermore, this correlation also exists for these cells and their ability to induce tumors in vivo.

CM1 ligation initiates apoptosis in a caspase 8-dependent manner in Ramos cells and in a mitochondria-controlled manner in Raji cells.

Burkitt lymphoma (BL) is a tumor with the characteristics of germinal center B cells. We previously reported that the CM1 (centrocyte/-blast marker 1) molecule is expressed only in germinal center B cells, specifically, in a subpopulation of centroblasts and centrocytes. In the present study, we investigated the apoptosis induced by anti-CM1 in the Ramos and Raji human BL cell lines.