Co-graft of allogeneic immune regulatory neural stem cells (NPC) and pancreatic islets mediates tolerance, while inducing NPC-derived tumors in mice.

<h4>Background</h4>Data available on the immunomodulatory properties of neural stem/precursor cells (NPC) support their possible use as modulators for immune-mediated process. The aim of this study was to define whether NPC administered in combination with pancreatic islets prevents reje...

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Main Authors: Raffaella Melzi, Barbara Antonioli, Alessia Mercalli, Manuela Battaglia, Andrea Valle, Stefano Pluchino, Rossella Galli, Valeria Sordi, Emanuele Bosi, Gianvito Martino, Ezio Bonifacio, Claudio Doglioni, Lorenzo Piemonti
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2010-04-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0010357&type=printable
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Summary:<h4>Background</h4>Data available on the immunomodulatory properties of neural stem/precursor cells (NPC) support their possible use as modulators for immune-mediated process. The aim of this study was to define whether NPC administered in combination with pancreatic islets prevents rejection in a fully mismatched allograft model.<h4>Methodology/principal finding</h4>Diabetic Balb/c mice were co-transplanted under the kidney capsule with pancreatic islets and GFP(+) NPC from fully mismatched C57BL/6 mice. The following 4 groups of recipients were used: mice receiving islets alone; mice receiving islets alone and treated with standard immunosuppression (IL-2Ralpha chain mAbs + FK506 + Rapamycin); mice receiving a mixed islet/NPC graft under the same kidney capsule (Co-NPC-Tx); mice receiving the islet graft under the left kidney capsule and the NPC graft under the right kidney capsule (NPC-Tx). Our results demonstrate that only the co-transplantation and co-localization of NPC and islets (Co-NPC-Tx) induce stable long-term graft function in the absence of immunosuppression. This condition is associated with an expansion of CD4(+)CD25(+)FoxP3(+) T regulatory cells in the spleen. Unfortunately, stable graft function was accompanied by constant and reproducible development of NPC-derived cancer mainly sustained by insulin secretion.<h4>Conclusion</h4>These data demonstrate that the use of NPC in combination with islets prevents graft rejection in a fully mismatched model. However, the development of NPC-derived cancer raises serious doubts about the safety of using adult stem cells in combination with insulin-producing cells outside the original microenvironment.
ISSN:1932-6203