Intact active bone transplantation synergizes with anti-CD40 ligand therapy to induce B cell tolerance

J Immunol. 2002 May 15;168(10):5352-8. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.168.10.5352.

Abstract

Blockade of T cell costimulatory pathways can result in the prolongation of allograft survival through the suppression of Th1 responses; however, late allograft rejection is usually accompanied by an emerging allograft-specific humoral response. We have recently determined that intact active bone (IAB) fragments transplanted under the kidney capsule can synergize with transient anti-CD40 ligand (CD40L) treatment to induce robust donor-specific allograft tolerance and suppress the alloantibody response. In this study, we take advantage of the ability of galactosyltransferase-deficient knockout (GT-Ko) mice to respond to the carbohydrate epitope, galactose-alpha1,3-galactose (Gal), to investigate whether IAB plus transient anti-CD40L therapy directly tolerize B cell responses. GT-Ko mice tolerized to Gal-expressing C3H hearts and IAB plus transient anti-CD40L therapy were challenged with pig kidney membranes that express high levels of Gal. The anti-Gal IgM and IgG responses were significantly suppressed in IAB-tolerant mice compared with controls, while the non-Gal anti-pig Ab responses were comparable. The anti-pig T cell cytokine response (IFN-gamma and IL-4) was comparable in IAB-tolerant and control mice. The tolerant state for the anti-Gal IgM response could be reversed with repeated immunization, whereas the tolerant state for the IgG response was robust and resisted repeated immunization. These observations provide an important proof-of-concept that adjunct therapies can synergize with anti-CD40L Abs to tolerize B cell responses independent of their effects on T cells. This model, which does not require mixed chimerism, provides a unique opportunity for investigating the mechanism of peripheral tolerance in a clinically relevant population of carbohydrate-specific B cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Acute Disease
  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / therapeutic use*
  • B-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • Bone Transplantation / immunology*
  • CD40 Ligand / immunology*
  • Combined Modality Therapy / methods
  • Cytokines / biosynthesis
  • Disaccharides / immunology
  • Graft Rejection / immunology
  • Heart Transplantation / immunology
  • Heart Transplantation / methods
  • Immunoglobulin M / biosynthesis
  • Immunosuppression Therapy
  • Isoantibodies / biosynthesis
  • Kidney
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C3H
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Inbred DBA
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Rats
  • Rats, Inbred Lew
  • Swine
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • T-Lymphocytes / metabolism
  • Transplantation Tolerance*
  • Transplantation, Heterologous / immunology
  • Transplantation, Heterotopic / immunology
  • beta-N-Acetylglucosaminylglycopeptide beta-1,4-Galactosyltransferase / deficiency
  • beta-N-Acetylglucosaminylglycopeptide beta-1,4-Galactosyltransferase / genetics

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Cytokines
  • Disaccharides
  • Immunoglobulin M
  • Isoantibodies
  • galactosyl-(1-3)galactose
  • CD40 Ligand
  • beta-N-Acetylglucosaminylglycopeptide beta-1,4-Galactosyltransferase