A cardinal feature of the adaptive immune response is its ability to generate long-lived populations of memory T lymphocytes. Memory T cells that recognize donor allo-antigens jeopardize the survival of life- saving organ transplants. Therefore, exploring the biology of memory T cells is essential for developing better anti-rejection therapies. In the previous funding cycle (2001 - 2006), we investigated the mechanisms that govern the maintenance and recall of memory T cells in mouse models of heart, skin, and islet transplantation. A principal finding was that memory T cells generated in response to allo-stimulation migrate widely to non-lymphoid tissues where they are maintained long-term and are activated upon encountering donor antigens. Unlike naive T cells, whose migration and activation were largely restricted to secondary lymphoid tissues, allo-reactive memory T cells homed directly to the graft and mediated its rejection. Therefore, the goal of this application is to investigate the mechanisms that govern the migration of memory T cells to a transplanted organ.
The specific aims are: (1) To investigate the mechanisms which govern the migration of allo-reactive memory T cells to vascularized cardiac allografts during acute inflammation - we will examine the roles of the chemokine receptor CXCR3 and the adhesion molecule a4|31 integrin (VLA-4) expressed on memory T cells. (2) To investigate the mechanisms which govern the migration of allo-reactive memory T cells to vascularized cardiac allografts during chronic inflammation - we will examine the roles of the chemokine receptor CCR7 and the adhesion molecule L-selectin (CD62L) expressed on memory T cells. Although both CD4 and CD8 memory T cells mediate allograft rejection, we will concentrate on studying the CD8 memory population. Congenic markers will be used to track adoptively transferred CD8 memory T cells. Gene knockout mice and monoclonal antibodies will be used to examine the roles of chemokine receptors and adhesion molecules.
| Hughes, Andrew D; Lakkis, Fadi G; Oberbarnscheidt, Martin H (2018) Four-Dimensional Imaging of T Cells in Kidney Transplant Rejection. J Am Soc Nephrol 29:1596-1600 |
| Dai, Hehua; Friday, Andrew J; Abou-Daya, Khodor I et al. (2017) Donor SIRP? polymorphism modulates the innate immune response to allogeneic grafts. Sci Immunol 2: |
| Zhang, Qianqian; Dai, Hehua; Yatim, Karim M et al. (2016) CD8+ Effector T Cell Migration to Pancreatic Islet Grafts Is Dependent on Cognate Antigen Presentation by Donor Graft Cells. J Immunol 197:1471-6 |
| Zhuang, Quan; Liu, Quan; Divito, Sherrie J et al. (2016) Graft-infiltrating host dendritic cells play a key role in organ transplant rejection. Nat Commun 7:12623 |
| Tieu, Roger; Lakkis, Fadi G; Oberbarnscheidt, Martin H (2016) Getting Down and Dirty: Germ-Exposed Laboratory Mice as a Model of the Adult Human Immune System. Transplantation 100:2490-2491 |
| Alegre, Maria-Luisa; Lakkis, Fadi G; Morelli, Adrian E (2016) Antigen Presentation in Transplantation. Trends Immunol 37:831-843 |
| Yatim, Karim M; Lakkis, Fadi G (2015) A brief journey through the immune system. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol 10:1274-81 |
| Zhuang, Quan; Lakkis, Fadi G (2015) Dendritic cells and innate immunity in kidney transplantation. Kidney Int 87:712-8 |
| Walch, Jeffrey M; Lakkis, Fadi G (2014) T-cell migration to vascularized organ allografts. Curr Opin Organ Transplant 19:28-32 |
| Walch, Jeffrey M; Zeng, Qiang; Li, Qi et al. (2013) Cognate antigen directs CD8+ T cell migration to vascularized transplants. J Clin Invest 123:2663-71 |
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