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- Title
Microchimerism maintains deletion of the donor cell-specific CD8+ T cell repertoire.
- Authors
Bonilla, Weldy V.; Geuking, Markus B.; Aichele, Peter; Ludewig, Burkhard; Hengartner, Hans; Zinkernagel, Rolf M.
- Abstract
Rare cases of stable allograft acceptance after discontinuation of immunosuppression are often accompanied by macrochimerism ({beta} 1% donor cells in blood) or microchimerism (cells in blood). Here, we have investigated whether persistence of donor cells is the cause or the consequence of long-lasting CTL unresponsiveness. We found that engraftment of splenocytes bearing a single foreign MHC class I-restricted epitope resulted in lifelong donor cell microchimerism and specific CTL unresponsiveness. This status was reversed in a strictly time- and thymus-dependent fashion when the engrafted cells were experimentally removed. The results presented herein show that microchimerism actively maintains CTL unresponsiveness toward a minor histocompatibility antigen by deleting the specific repertoire and thus excluding dominant, T cell extrinsic mechanisms of CTL unresponsiveness independent of systemically persisting donor cell antigen.
- Subjects
T cells; CELLULAR mechanics; IMMUNOLOGICAL tolerance; HISTOCOMPATIBILITY antigens; IMMUNOREGULATION; ENDOCRINE glands
- Publication
Journal of Clinical Investigation, 2006, Vol 116, Issue 1, p156
- ISSN
0021-9738
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1172/JCI26565