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Fang X, Cui S, Lee H, Min JW, Lim SW, Oh EJ, Yang CW, Shin YJ, Chung BH. Combined Use of Tocilizumab and Mesenchymal Stem Cells Attenuate the Development of an Anti-HLA-A2.1 Antibody in a Highly Sensitized Mouse Model. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:1378. [PMID: 38338657 PMCID: PMC10855827 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25031378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Revised: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Sensitization to HLA can result in allograft loss for kidney transplantation (KT) patients. Therefore, it is required to develop an appropriate desensitization (DSZ) technique to remove HLA-donor-specific anti-HLA antibody (DSA) before KT. The aim of this research was to investigate whether combined use of the IL-6 receptor-blocking antibody, tocilizumab (TCZ), and bone-marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) could attenuate humoral immune responses in an allo-sensitized mouse model developed using HLA.A2 transgenic mice. Wild-type C57BL/6 mice were sensitized with skin allografts from C57BL/6-Tg (HLA-A2.1)1Enge/J mice and treated with TCZ, BM-MSC, or both TCZ and BM-MSC. We compared HLA.A2-specific IgG levels and subsets of T cells and B cells using flow cytometry among groups. HLA.A2-specific IgG level was decreased in all treated groups in comparison with that in the allo-sensitized control (Allo-CONT) group. Its decrease was the most significant in the TCZ + BM-MSC group. Regarding the B cell subset, combined use of TCZ and BM-MSC increased proportions of pre-pro B cells but decreased proportions of mature B cells in BM (p < 0.05 vs. control). In the spleen, an increase in transitional memory was observed with a significant decrease in marginal, follicular, and long-lived plasma B cells (p < 0.05 vs. control) in the TCZ + BM-MSC group. In T cell subsets, Th2 and Th17 cells were significantly decreased, but Treg cells were significantly increased in the TCZ+BM-MSC group compared to those in the Allo-CONT group in the spleen. Regarding RNA levels, IL-10 and Foxp3 showed increased expression, whereas IL-23 and IFN-γ showed decreased expression in the TCZ + BM-MSC group. In conclusion, combined use of TCZ and BM-MSC can inhibit B cell maturation and up-regulate Treg cells, finally resulting in the reduction of HLA.A2-specific IgG in a highly sensitized mouse model. This study suggests that the combined use of TCZ and BM-MSC can be proposed as a novel strategy in a desensitization protocol for highly sensitized patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xianying Fang
- Transplantation Research Center, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea; (X.F.); (S.C.); (H.L.); (J.W.M.); (S.W.L.); (E.-J.O.); (C.W.Y.)
| | - Sheng Cui
- Transplantation Research Center, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea; (X.F.); (S.C.); (H.L.); (J.W.M.); (S.W.L.); (E.-J.O.); (C.W.Y.)
| | - Hanbi Lee
- Transplantation Research Center, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea; (X.F.); (S.C.); (H.L.); (J.W.M.); (S.W.L.); (E.-J.O.); (C.W.Y.)
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, The College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji Won Min
- Transplantation Research Center, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea; (X.F.); (S.C.); (H.L.); (J.W.M.); (S.W.L.); (E.-J.O.); (C.W.Y.)
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Bucheon St. Mary’s Hospital, The College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Bucheon-si 14647, Republic of Korea
| | - Sun Woo Lim
- Transplantation Research Center, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea; (X.F.); (S.C.); (H.L.); (J.W.M.); (S.W.L.); (E.-J.O.); (C.W.Y.)
| | - Eun-Jee Oh
- Transplantation Research Center, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea; (X.F.); (S.C.); (H.L.); (J.W.M.); (S.W.L.); (E.-J.O.); (C.W.Y.)
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, The College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea
| | - Chul Woo Yang
- Transplantation Research Center, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea; (X.F.); (S.C.); (H.L.); (J.W.M.); (S.W.L.); (E.-J.O.); (C.W.Y.)
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, The College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea
| | - Yoo Jin Shin
- Transplantation Research Center, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea; (X.F.); (S.C.); (H.L.); (J.W.M.); (S.W.L.); (E.-J.O.); (C.W.Y.)
| | - Byung Ha Chung
- Transplantation Research Center, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea; (X.F.); (S.C.); (H.L.); (J.W.M.); (S.W.L.); (E.-J.O.); (C.W.Y.)
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, The College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea
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