Dysfunction of infiltrating cytotoxic CD8+ T cells within the graft promotes murine kidney allotransplant tolerance
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT: Tolerance of mouse kidney allografts arises in grafts that develop regulatory Tertiary Lymphoid Organs (rTLOs). scRNAseq data and adoptive transfer of alloreactive T cells post-transplant showed that cytotoxic CD8+ T cells are reprogrammed within the accepted graft to an exhausted/regulatory-like phenotype. Establishment of rTLOs was required since adoptive transfer of alloreactive T cells prior to transplantation results in kidney allograft rejection. Despite intragraft CD8+ cells with a regulatory phenotype, they were not essential for the induction and maintenance of kidney allograft tolerance. Analysis of scRNAseq data from allograft kidneys and malignant tumors identified similar regulatory-like cell types within the T cell clusters. Induction of cytotoxic CD8+ T cell dysfunction of infiltrating cells appears to be a beneficial mechanistic pathway that protects the kidney allotransplant from rejection through a process we call “defensive tolerance.” This pathway has implications for our understanding of allotransplant tolerance and tumor resistance to host immunity.
ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus
PROVIDER: GSE252337 | GEO | 2024/06/20
REPOSITORIES: GEO
ACCESS DATA