Objective To test whether the CD103 molecule mediates CD8+ T lymphocytes on allogeneic islet graft immune injury. Methods By using flow cytometry, the expression of CD103 in peripheral CD8+ T lymphocytes in wild-type C57BL/6 mice was detected. Allogenic islet transplantation models were made using Balb/c donor mice and C57BL/6 recipient mice. Recipients were divided into 3 groups: M290-SAP-treated mice were injected with CD103 immunotoxin M290-SAP; M290-treated mice were injected with CD103 monoclonal antibody M290; untreated mice were only transplanted islet without any drug treatment. CD3, CD8, CD44 and CD103 positive cells were counted in islet allograft infiltrative lymphocytes. CD3, CD8, and CD103 positive cells were measured in the mesenteric lymph node. The islet allografts were removed and subjected to HE staining and immunohistochemical staining at the time of graft loss or the end of the observation period. Results 44. 06% peripheral CD8+ T cells expressed CD103 in wild-type C57BL/6 mice. 29 % CD8+ T cells expressed CD103 in the infiltrative lyrnphocytes of islet allografts in the untreated mice. In M290-SAP-treated mice, the lymphocytes had no CD103 expression and the absolute number of CD8+ lymphocytes was decreased as well The blood glucose was maintained stable for more than 100 days (13 days in untreated group, P＜0.05) in the M290-SAP-treated mice. Moreover, the transplanted islets retained intact. Conclusion CD103 expression is required for destruction of pancreatic islet allograft by CD8+ T cells. CD103 might provide a novel target for therapeutic intervention in islet allograft rejection.

BACKGROUNDPrevious studies using knockout mice document a key role for the integrin CD103 in promoting organ allograft rejection and graft-versus-host disease. However, a determination of whether blockade of the CD103 pathway represents a viable therapeutic strategy for intervention in these processes has proven problematic due to the lack of reagents that efficiently deplete CD103(+) cells from wild type hosts. To circumvent this problem, in the present study, we invented an anti-CD103 immunotoxin (M290-SAP). We investigated whether M290-SAP has capacity to eliminate CD103-expressing cells in vivo and protect transplanted islets from destroying by host immune cells.

METHODSFlow cytometry was used to analyze the efficacy of M290-SAP in depleting CD103-expressing cells in vivo. Then using allogenic islet transplantation models as well as NOD mice with recent onset type 1 diabetes, the therapeutic efficacy of CD103-expressing cell depletion was addressed.

RESULTSM290-SAP dramatically reduces the frequency and absolute numbers of CD103-expressing leukocytes in peripheral lymphatic tissues of treated mice. Balb/c islets transplanted into streptozotocin-induced diabetic C57BL/6 mice under single M290-SAP treatment showed an indefinite survival time compared with untreated mice, M290-treated mice and IgG-SAP treated mice (mean survival time, > 100 days vs. < 20 days). C57BL/6 islets transplanted into hyperglycemic NOD mice under single M290-SAP treatment showed a pronounced delay in allograft rejection compared with untreated mice (mean survival time 12 - 13 days vs. < 7 days). Immunological analysis of mice with long-term islet allograft survival revealed an obvious atrophy thymus and severe downregulation of alloimmunity of CD8 subpopulation response to allogenic stimulation.

CONCLUSIONRegardless of the underlying mechanisms, these data document that depletion of CD103-expressing cells represents a viable strategy for therapeutic intervention in islet allograft rejection.

Animals ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; pharmacokinetics ; therapeutic use ; toxicity ; Antigens, CD ; analysis ; Female ; Graft Rejection ; prevention & control ; Graft Survival ; drug effects ; Integrin alpha Chains ; analysis ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Islets of Langerhans Transplantation ; immunology ; mortality ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Mice, Inbred NOD ; Thymocytes ; classification ; drug effects ; Transplantation, Homologous