Alpha-1-antitrypsin for the improvement of autoimmunity and allograft rejection in beta cell transplantation

作者：Ye, Jian; Liao, Yu-Ting; Jian, You-Qiang; Zhang, Xiao-Dan; Wei, Pei; Qi, Hui; Deng, Chun-Yan; Li, Fu-Rong^*

来源：Immunology Letters, 2013, 150(1-2): 61-68.

DOI：10.1016/j.imlet.2013.01.009

• alpha-1-Antitrypsin
• beta-Cell transplantation
• Immune tolerance
• Type 1 diabetes
• Non-obese diabetic mice

Islet transplantation offers hope for patients with type 1 diabetes, which is an autoimmune disease. However, islet transplant recipients must overcome two obstacles in both allograft rejection and autoimmune reaction. Alpha-1-antitrypsin (a1-proteinase inhibitor, AAT) possesses anti-inflammatory properties, reduces cytokine-mediated islet damage, and induces specific immune tolerance. In this study, an insulinoma cell line, NIT-1, was transfected with human AAT (hAAT), named NIT-hAAT, and was transplanted to the left renal subcapsular spaces of 7-week-old female non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice (n = 22). Cyclophosphamide(CY) was administered to synchronize and accelerate the development of diabetes. Thus, the immunosuppressive and cytoprotective activity of hAAT in beta-cell transplantation was investigated. NIT-hAAT has immunomodulatory properties, which delay the onset of autoimmune diabetes, reduce diabetes incidence, inhibit insulitis and beta-cell apoptosis, and dampen transplant site inflammation. We propose that NIT-hAAT has a dual function by improving islet autoimmunity and protecting transplanted beta-cells from allograft rejection. However, the low expression of hAAT in vivo results in the inability of NIT-hAAT to induce long-term specific immune tolerance and to completely block allograft rejection.

• 出版日期2013-2
• 单位暨南大学