Locally administered monoclonal antibodies to lymphocyte function-associated antigen 1 and to L3T4 prevent cutaneous graft-vs-host disease.

In vivo treatment with mAb directed against T cell surface molecules has been shown to prevent or reverse graft-vs-host disease (GVHD) and experimental autoimmune diseases, where T cells play a critical role. In this study we investigated the effects of in vivo administration of anti-I-A, anti-L3T4, and anti-lymphocyte function-associated Ag 1 (LFA-1) mAb on the development of murine cutaneous GVHD and delayed-type hypersensitivity responses evoked by local transfer of class II-MHC Ag-restricted, cloned autoreactive T cells. Prevention of cutaneous GVHD was achieved with local administration of either anti-L3T4 or anti-LFA-1 mAb, but not with anti-I-A mAb, while delayed-type hypersensitivity responses were inhibited by all the mAb. These results indicate that an I-A Ag-independent mechanism may be also operative in the development of the cutaneous GVHD, unlike the delayed-type hypersensitivity responses. Anti-LFA-1 mAb appeared to be more potent at inhibiting cutaneous GVHD rather than delayed-type hypersensitivity responses, whereas anti-L3T4 mAb inhibited equally both the responses. These results suggest that LFA-1 molecule may be involved in the epidermal invasion of T cells. Treatment with anti-LFA-1 mAb was found to be still, although less, effective at preventing cutaneous GVHD, even if the mAb was administered after the development of cutaneous GVHD.