Induction and maintenance of tolerance to composite tissue allografts

摘要

A method is provided for obtaining mixed donor-recipient chimeric cells, comprising the steps of (a) administering to an allograft recipient a short-term immunosuppressive regimen that depletes about 50% to about 99.9% of recipient T cells circulating in the peripheral blood of the recipient; (b) implanting an allograft from a donor into the recipient; (c) allowing the development of mixed donor-recipient chimeric cells in the recipient after completion of the immunosuppressive regimen; and (d) harvesting the chimeric cells from the recipient. The invention further provides method for compiling a library of chimeric cells and using the library to select of chimeric cells for the induction of tolerance to an allograft in a naïve or previously transplanted recipient.