Journal home
Advance online publication
Current issue
Archive
Press releases
Supplements
Focuses
Guide to authors
Online submissionOnline submission
For referees
Free online issue
Contact the journal
Subscribe
Advertising
work@npg
Reprints and permissions
About this site
For librarians
 
NPG Resources
Nature
Nature Reviews
Nature Immunology
Nature Cell Biology
Nature Genetics
news@nature.com
Nature Conferences
Dissect Medicine
NPG Subject areas
Biotechnology
Cancer
Chemistry
Clinical Medicine
Dentistry
Development
Drug Discovery
Earth Sciences
Evolution & Ecology
Genetics
Immunology
Materials Science
Medical Research
Microbiology
Molecular Cell Biology
Neuroscience
Pharmacology
Physics
Browse all publications
Article
Nature Medicine  10, 1227 - 1233 (2004)
Published online: 24 October 2004; | doi:10.1038/nm1126

Donor-specific B-cell tolerance after ABO-incompatible infant heart transplantation

Xiaohu Fan1, Andrew Ang1, Stacey M Pollock-BarZiv2, Anne I Dipchand2, Phillip Ruiz3, Gregory Wilson4, Jeffrey L Platt5 & Lori J West1, 2

1  Infection, Immunity, Injury and Repair Program, Department of Pediatrics, The Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Avenue, Toronto, Ontario M5G1X8, Canada.

2  Division of Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, The Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Avenue, Toronto, Ontario M5G1X8, Canada.

3  Department of Pathology, University of Miami School of Medicine, Jackson Memorial Hospital, 1611 NW 12 Avenue, Miami, Florida 33136, USA.

4  Department of Pediatric Laboratory Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Avenue, Toronto, Ontario M5G1X8, Canada.

5  Department of Transplantation Biology, Mayo Clinic, Medical Sciences 2-66, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA.

Correspondence should be addressed to Lori J West lori.west@sickkids.ca
Although over 50 years have passed since its first laboratory description, intentional induction of immune tolerance to foreign antigens has remained an elusive clinical goal. We previously reported that the requirement for ABO compatibility in heart transplantation is not applicable to infants. Here, we show that ABO-incompatible heart transplantation during infancy results in development of B-cell tolerance to donor blood group A and B antigens. This mimics animal models of neonatal tolerance and indicates that the human infant is susceptible to intentional tolerance induction. Tolerance in this setting occurs by elimination of donor-reactive B lymphocytes and may be dependent upon persistence of some degree of antigen expression. These findings suggest that intentional exposure to nonself A and B antigens may prolong the window of opportunity for ABO-incompatible transplantation, and have profound implications for clinical research on tolerance induction to T-independent antigens relevant to xenotransplantation.

MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS

These links to content published by NPG are automatically generated.

NEWS AND VIEWS

Transplantation tolerance: babies take the first step

Nature Medicine News and Views (01 Nov 2004)

Transplantation ABO-incompatible renal transplants: time for increased use?

Nature Reviews Nephrology News and Views (01 Sep 2009)

See all 4 matches for News And Views
 Top
Abstract
Previous | Next
Table of contents
Full textFull text
Download PDFDownload PDF
Send to a friendSend to a friend
Save this linkSave this link

Open Innovation Challenges

naturejobs

Figures & Tables
Supplementary info
See also: News and Views by Obhrai & Lakkis
Export citation
natureproducts

Search buyers guide:

 
ADVERTISEMENT
 
Nature Medicine
ISSN: 1078-8956
EISSN: 1546-170X
Journal home | Advance online publication | Current issue | Archive | Press releases | Supplements | Focuses | For authors | Online submission | For referees | Free online issue | About the journal | Contact the journal | Subscribe | Advertising | work@npg | Reprints and permissions | About this site | For librarians
Nature Publishing Group, publisher of Nature, and other science journals and reference works©2004 Nature Publishing Group | Privacy policy