Generation of Donor-Specific Regulatory T-Cell Function in Kidney Transplant Patients

BACKGROUND: In the search for mechanisms that can induce and maintain transplant tolerance, donor-specific CD4CD25FoxP3 regulatory T cells have been frequently mentioned. However, it remains to be demonstrated, whether these cells are generated after clinical transplantation. METHODS: We prospectively analyzed the phenotype and function of peripheral regulatory CD4CD25 T cells of 79 patients before, 3, 6, and 12 months after kidney transplantation. The immune regulatory capacities of CD4CD25 T cells were assessed by their depletion from peripheral blood mononuclear cells and in co-culture with CD25 responder T-cells in the mixed lymphocyte reactions. RESULTS: In the first year after transplantation, the number and proportion of CD4CD25 T cells significantly decreased (P<0.05 and P<0.001, respectively). In the mixed lymphocyte reactions, we observed donor-specific hyporesponsiveness in the presence of significantly increased proliferation to third and fourth Party-Ag, (P<0.001 and P<0.05, respectively). Furthermore, functional analysis of CD25 cells showed that the effect of depletion of these cells from peripheral blood mononuclear cells, and their suppressive capacities in co-culture with donor-Ag stimulated CD25 responder T-cells (1:10 ratio) significantly improved (P<0.01 and P<0.001, respectively). Moreover, the difference between the stimulation with donor-Ag and third Party-Ag became apparent at 6 months after transplantation. CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrate that donor-specific CD4CD25 regulatory T-cell function is generated in fully immunosuppressed renal recipients in the first year after transplantation.