Differential immune responses to α-gal epitopes on xenografts and allografts: implications for accommodation in xenotransplantation

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Abstract
Xenograft recipients produce large amounts of high-affinity anti-Gal IgG in response to Galα1-3Galβ1- 4GlcNAc-R (α-gal) epitopes on the graft. In contrast, ABO-mismatched allograft recipients undergo “accommodation,” a state of very weak immune response to ABO antigens. These differences in anti-carbohydrate immune response were studied in α1,3galactosyltransferase knock-out mice. Pig kidney membranes administered to these mice elicited extensive production of anti-Gal IgG, whereas allogeneic kidney membranes expressing α-gal epitopes elicited only a weak anti-Gal IgM response. Anti-Gal IgG response to xenograft membranes depended on helper T cell activation and was inhibited by anti-CD40L antibody. These T cells were activated by xenopeptides and not by α-gal epitopes. Moreover, allogeneic cell membranes manipulated to express xenoproteins also induced anti-Gal IgG response. Xenoglycoproteins with α-gal epitopes are processed by anti-Gal B cells. Xenopeptides presented by these cells activate a large repertoire of helper T cells required for the differentiation of anti-Gal B cells into cells secreting anti-Gal IgG. Alloglycoproteins with α- gal epitopes have very few immunogenic peptides and fail to activate helper T cells. Similarly, ineffective helper T-cell activation prevents a strong immune response to blood group antigens in ABO-mismatched allograft recipients, thus enabling the development of accommodation.