MHC mismatch results in neural progenitor cell rejection following spinal cord transplantation in a model of viral-induced demyelination

This study investigates the immune response to transplanted neural progenitor cells (NPCs) in the context of viral-induced demyelination, mimicking aspects of multiple sclerosis (MS). The research focuses on whether the body rejects these cells when they don't perfectly match the recipient's tissues (allogeneic NPCs). The key finding is that mismatched NPCs are indeed recognized as foreign and trigger an immune response involving T cells, leading to rejection. This suggests that strategies to suppress the immune system might be needed to ensure these cells survive and are effective in treating demyelinating diseases. Researchers found that NPCs can express molecules that activate the immune system (MHC class I and II antigens) and that T cells from recipient mice react to the transplanted NPCs, indicating an immune response is mounted against them.

• 1
  Allogeneic NPCs are antigenic and induce a delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) response, indicating T cell involvement.
• 2
  Transplantation of MHC-mismatched NPCs leads to increased expression of T cell chemoattractant chemokines (CXCL9 and CXCL10) and increased T cell infiltration.
• 3
  Depletion of T cell subsets, particularly CD4+ T cells, increases the survival of allogeneic NPCs, suggesting that T cells contribute to the rejection process.