Transplantation: Host stem cells boost tolerance of liver grafts.

摘要

Repopulation of donor livers with host stem cells enables long-term acceptance of liver transplants in a rat model that normally strongly rejects organ grafts, according to new research. A combination of low-dose, short-term tacrolimus (to prevent acute rejection) and plerixafor (to mobilize host stem cells to the donor organ) prolonged graft survival and led to the partial conversion of donor livers to a host 'self phenotype. "This purposeful manipulation of the immune response with low-dose immunosuppression and liberation of stem cells for a very short period after transplantation results in long-term transplant acceptance, without further drug treatment," notes senior author Zhaoli Sun.