Abstract
We studied antigen-specific T-cell tolerization therapy using skin transplantation across a defined minor histocompatibility antigen difference. Specific tolerization protocols using short-lived peptide or long-lived spleen cells presenting the peptide as antigen prevented graft rejection without immunosuppression when started before or as long as 10 days after transplantation. Peptide-induced T-cell tolerance was transient, and antigen presentation by the graft was not sufficient to maintain tolerance. In contrast, transfer of antigen-expressing lymphoid cells induced long-lasting tolerance correlating with donor cell chimerism. These findings show that antigen-specific tolerization can induce graft acceptance even when begun after transplantation and that long-term graft survival depends on persistence of the tolerizing antigen.
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Ehl, S., Aichele, P., Ramseier, H. et al. Antigen persistence and time of T-cell tolerization determine the efficacy of tolerization protocols for prevention of skin graft rejection. Nat Med 4, 1015–1019 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1038/2001
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/2001
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