The study was aimed to explore the roles of exosomes derived from regulatory dendritic cells of mice in the induction of immune tolerance. Immature DC (iDC) from mouse bone marrow cells and regulatory DCs (rDC) were induced by treating iDC with TGF-beta1 and IL-10. The phenotype of regulatory DCs and normal DCs were assayed by flow cytometry. Exosomes from immature DCs (iDex) and regulatory DCs (rDex) were isolated by ultracentrifugation and ultrafiltration. A skin transplantation model was established with the recipients BALB/c mice and the donor C57BL/6 mice. Recipients were divided into PBS control group, iDex group (injection 10 microg iDex of donor C57BL/6 mice via tail vein at days 7 and 3 before skin transplantation), rDex group (injection 10 microg rDex of donor C57BL/6 mice via tail vein at days 7 and 3 before skin transplantation). The capacity of the donor mice and the unrelated allogeneic donor mice to stimulate allogeneic T lymphocyte proliferation was examined by mixed lymphocyte culture (MLR). The results showed that TGF-beta1 and IL-10 could down-regulate the expressions of costimulatory molecules, including CD80, CD86 and CD40. The graft mean survival time (MST) in control group, iDex group and rDex group was 7.8, 10.7 and 18.8 days, respectively. There was significant difference in MST between iDex group and control group (p<0.05), and between rDex group and iDex group (p<0.01). The results of MLR assays indicated donor-specific hyporeactivity especially in rDex group, while the tolerant B/C mice were still immunocompetent to unrelated allogeneic DBA mouse. It is concluded that injection iDex or rDex of donor mice via tail vein before skin transplantation induces immunotolerance, and the effect of rDex is more significant.
Animals ; Dendritic Cells ; cytology ; immunology ; transplantation ; Exosomes ; immunology ; transplantation ; Female ; Graft Enhancement, Immunologic ; methods ; Graft Survival ; Immune Tolerance ; immunology ; Lymphocyte Culture Test, Mixed ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Mice, Inbred DBA ; Skin Transplantation ; Transplantation Immunology ; Transplantation, Homologous

OBJECTIVETo study the role of T suppressor cells in immune tolerance to cardiac allografts in the rats.

METHODSMale DA rat hearts were transplanted to male Lewis rats using Ono's model and randomly divided into five groups: group 1: untreated, group 2: portal venous injection of 3 x 10(8) DA splenocytes to Lewis rat, group 3: intraperitoneal injection of cyclophosphamide (80 mg/kg) to Lewis rat, group 4: portal venous injection of 3 x 10(8) DA splenocytes combined with intraperitoneal injection of cyclophosphamide (80 mg/kg) to Lewis rat, 15 days later heart transplantation was performed. Group 5: intravenous injection 3 (108 splenocytes of group 4 to normal recipient, and then heart transplantation was performed. Mean survival time (MST), histological changes, mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) were measured after operation.

RESULTSThe survival time of heart allografts in the group 4 [MST: (71.5 +/- 29.1) d, t = -14.063, -13.915, -13.777; P < 0.01] was significantly longer than in the groups of 1 [MST: (7.3 +/- 1.0) d], 2 [MST: (7.8 +/- 0.8) d], 3 [MST: (8.2 +/- 1.1) d ]. Only a few inflammatory cells infiltrated in cardiac allografts in the groups of 4 and 5. MLR in the groups of 4 and 5 were significantly decreased compared with those of normal control (t = 29.902, 23.047; P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSPortal venous injection of donor splenocytes combined with intraperitoneal injection of cyclophosphamide could induce immune tolerance to cardiac allografts. The immune tolerance could be transferred through splenocytes. T suppressor cells play an important role in the immune tolerance.

Animals ; Cyclophosphamide ; therapeutic use ; Graft Enhancement, Immunologic ; methods ; Heart Transplantation ; immunology ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; therapeutic use ; Injections, Intraperitoneal ; Lymphocyte Transfusion ; methods ; Male ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Inbred Lew ; Rats, Inbred Strains ; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory ; immunology ; Transplantation Tolerance ; immunology ; Transplantation, Homologous ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo study the methods and mechanisms of immune tolerance in cardiac transplantation.

METHODSMale DA rat hearts were transplanted to male Lewis rats using Ono's model and randomly divided into five groups: untreated, intravenous injection of 1 x 10(8) DA splenocytes to Lewis rat, intraperitoneal injection of cyclophosphamide (100 mg/kg) to Lewis rat, intravenous injection of 1 x 10(8) DA splenocytes combined with intraperitoneal injection of cyclophosphamide (100 mg/kg) to Lewis rat, multiple injection of DA rat splenocytes with intraperitoneal injection of cyclophosphamide, 11 days later heart transplantation was performed. Mean survival time (MST), histological changes, mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR), the role of interleukin-2 (IL-2) to MLR and the role of tolerant rat splenocytes to MLR were measured after operation.

RESULTSThe survival time of heart allografts in the group of multiple injection of DA rat splenocytes with intraperitoneal injection of cyclophosphamide [MST: (85.3 +/- 7.5) d, t = 0, P < 0.01] was significantly longer than in the groups of untreated [MST: (7.3 +/- 1.0) d], intravenous injection of 1 x 10(8) DA splenocytes to Lewis rat [MST: (7.9 +/- 0.9) d], intraperitoneal injection of cyclophosphamide (100 mg/kg) to Lewis rat [MST: (8.1 +/- 1.2) d], intravenous injection of 1 x 10(8) DA splenocytes combined with intraperitoneal injection of cyclophosphamide (100 mg/kg) to Lewis rat [MST: (25.8 +/- 3.5) d]. Only a few inflammatory cells infiltrated in cardiac allografts in the group of multiple injection of DA rat splenocytes with intraperitoneal injection of cyclophosphamide. MLR in the group of multiple injection of DA rat splenocytes with intraperitoneal injection of cyclophosphamide were significantly decreased compared with those of normal control (t = 0, P < 0.01). IL-2 could partly reversed the hyporesponsiveness of MLR in tolerant rats, the tolerance could be transferred in vitro.

CONCLUSIONSMultiple injection of donor splenocytes combined with intraperitoneal injection of cyclophosphamide to recipients could induce immune tolerance to cardiac allografts.

Adoptive Transfer ; Animals ; Cell Transplantation ; Cyclophosphamide ; pharmacology ; Graft Enhancement, Immunologic ; methods ; Graft Survival ; Heart Transplantation ; immunology ; Injections, Intravenous ; Isoantigens ; administration & dosage ; immunology ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Inbred BN ; Rats, Inbred Lew ; Rats, Inbred Strains ; Rats, Wistar ; Spleen ; cytology ; Transplantation Tolerance ; drug effects ; Transplantation, Heterologous ; immunology