Combination of monoclonal antibodies with DST inhibits accelerated rejection mediated by memory T cells to induce long-lived heart allograft acceptance in mice

Donor-reactive memory T cells mediated accelerated rejection is known as a barrier to the survival of transplanted organs. We investigated the combination of different monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and donor-specific transfusion (DST) in memory T cells-based adoptive mice model. In the presence of donor reactive memory T cells, the mean survival time (MST) of grafts in the anti-CD40L/LFA-1/DST group was 49.8 d. Adding anti-CD44/CD70 mAbs to anti-CD40L/LFA-1/DST treatment. The MST was more than 100 d (MST > 100 d). Compared with anti-CD40L/LFA-1/DST group, anti-CD40L/LFA-1/CD44/CD70/DST group notably reduced the expansion of memory T cells, enhanced the proportion of CD4(+)Foxp3(+) regulatory T cells (Tregs) and suppressed donor-specific responses. Our data suggest that anti-CD40L/LFA--1/CD44/CD70 mAbs and DST can synergistically inhibit accelerated rejection mediated by memory T cells to induce long-lived heart allograft acceptance in mice. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.