Background: Human CD8(+) CTL-mediated killing may be important for xenograft rejection. The purpose of this study was to explore the preventing methods for CTL-mediated xenocytotoxicity by overexpression of human decoy Fas, which lacks a death domain in its cytoplasmic region, by binding competition with endogenous pig Fas. Moreover, the cytoprotective effect of this CTL-killing of membrane-bound human FasL, which is resistant to metalloproteolytic cleavage, was also assessed.
Methods: Human CTL were generated by the stimulation of human PBMC with swine endothelial cells (SEC) and human IL-2, subsequently a CD8(+) population were selected by magnetic beads and employed as the effector cells. Stable SEC transfectants expressing either decoy Fas or membrane-bound FasL were established. Double-transfectants were also created. The amelioration of cytotoxicity to these transfectants was examined with Cr release assay. RESULTS.: Human CD8(+) CTL were highly detrimental against parental SEC. This CTL-killing was strongly inhibited by anti-FasL mAb treatment, however partial suppression was observed by Concanamycin A treatment. The overexpression of either decoy Fas or membrane-bound FasL in SEC markedly inhibited CTL-xenocytotoxicity. The double expressions of these molecules also significantly reduced this xenocytotoxicity despite the low levels of expression of either decoy Fas or membrane-bound FasL.
Conclusion: These findings indicate that the strong xenocytotoxicity of human CD8(+) CTL is mediated mainly by the Fas/FasL pathway. The overexpression of either decoy Fas or membrane-bound FasL were quite effective in preventing CTL-killing. Furthermore, the combined expression of both molecules in pig cells may create a window of opportunity for prolonging xenograft survival.