The influence of the haematopoietic growth factor Flt-3 ligand (FL) on the incidence and function of donor major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II+ cells in the lymphoid tissues of noncytoablated recipients of heart allografts and donor bone marrow (BM) cells was investigated. C3H (H2k) mice received a nonvascularized B10 (H2b) heart allograft in the dorsal ear pinna, followed by an i.v. infusion of 50 x 10(6) donor BM cells. They were given FL (10 microg/day i.p., x7 days), tacrolimus (2mg/kg/day i.p., x13 days) or both agents immediately following heart transplantation (HTx) and were killed 10 or 21 days later. Their BM cells were propagated in vitro in granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and IL-4 for 5 days to promote the growth of dendritic cells (DC). Donor DC were identified by immunocytochemical staining. Spleens were harvested, and donor (IAb+) cells enumerated by immunohistochemical analysis. Donor MHC class II DNA was detected in spleens and cultured BM-derived cells by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). A striking increase in donor MHC class II+ cells was noted in both the spleen and BM of the BM + tacrolimus-treated group compared to either the BM alone, or BM + FL-treated groups. Addition of FL treatment to BM + tacrolimus led to a further increase in donor cells in spleen (three-fold at 10 days, and two-fold at 21 days). The increase in donor cells at 10 days was almost 140-fold compared to that with donor BM alone. PCR analysis at this time revealed enhanced donor DNA in the BM + FL + tacrolimus group compared to that in the BM + tacrolimus group. FL treatment augmented mixed leucocyte reactions (MLR) and cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) activity of host spleen cells against donor alloantigens. These effects were reversed by tacrolimus administration. Histopathology of heart grafts from tacrolimus-treated animals at 10 and 21 days showed absence or substantial reduction in cellular infiltration, and the preservation of viable myocardium. By contrast, in untreated mice, or animals given BM or BM + FL alone, there was marked cellular infiltration, and features of accelerated rejection. Donor-derived DC could be propagated in vitro from the BM of heart transplant recipients given donor BM, especially from mice that also received tacrolimus +/- FL. At day 21, donor-derived cells could only be propagated from the BM + FL + tacrolimus-treated group. These findings show that numbers of donor antigen presenting cells (APC) or their progenitors can be markedly increased in conventionally immunosuppressed organ allograft recipients given donor BM + a potent haematopoietic and DC-growth promoting cytokine. Although withdrawal of systemic immunosuppression appears to allow exhibition of the potential allostimulatory activity of these donor APC leading to rejection, the model provides a useful basis for further evaluation of the persistence and manipulation of donor haematopoietic cells and in particular, donor-derived APC, on the outcome of organ transplantation.