In utero bone marrow transplantation induces donor-specific tolerance by a combination of clonal deletion and clonal anergy

Heung Bae Kim, Aimen F. Shaaban, Ross Milner, Christian Fichter, Alan W. Flake*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

80 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background/Purpose: In utero bone marrow transplantation can induce donor-specific tolerance to postnatal solid organ transplantation, although the mechanisms remain poorly defined. In this study, we investigated the role of clonal deletion and clonal anergy in the maintenance of tolerance in a murine model of in utero bone marrow transplantation. Methods: DBA/2 mice (Mlsa+) were used as donors of adult bone marrow, and 14-day-gestation fetal Balb/c mice (Mlsa-) were used as recipients. Tolerance was defined by donor-specific skin graft survival for more than 8 weeks. Clonal deletion was assessed by flow cytometry for Vβ6 T cell receptor usage. A tolerant animal demonstrating partial deletion of CD4+/Vβ6+ T cells and a nontolerant animal were selected for analysis of clonal anergy by a proliferation assay using plate-bound anti-Vβ6 antibody for stimulation with or without exogenous interleukin-2 (IL2). Results: Vβ6+ splenocytes constituted 6.32% of CD4+ T cells in the tolerant animal compared with 9.19% in the nontolerant animal, demonstrating incomplete clonal deletion in the tolerant animal. Stimulation with plate-bound anti-Vβ6 induced a good proliferative response in the nontolerant animal but a significantly attenuated response in the tolerant animal (P < .001), which was abrogated by the addition of IL2. Conclusions: In this murine model of in utero bone marrow transplantation, the tolerant state is characterized by partial clonal deletion of donor reactive T cells and clonal anergy of nondeleted donor reactive T cells. The anergic state can be abrogated by exogenous IL2, suggesting that the mechanism of anergy is a deficiency of IL2 production.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)726-730
Number of pages5
JournalJournal of pediatric surgery
Volume34
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - May 1999

Funding

This work was supported in part by an Individual National Research Service Award HL-09692 from the National Institutes of Health, the Association for Academic Surgery~Sherwood Davis & Geck Surgical Research Fellowship Award, grant HL-53998 from the US Public Health Service, and funds from the Ruth and Tristram C. Colket Chair of Pediatric Surgery.

Keywords

  • Clonal anergy
  • Clonal deletion
  • In utero bone marrow transplantation
  • Tolerance

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Surgery
  • Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health

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