Background: Following transplantation, a set of coordinated events occurs within the recipient immune system. Immature dendritic cells (DCs) migrate to sites of inflammation, become activated and process antigen to present to naïve T cells (indirect allorecognition). Recently, we reported that important roles of DCs in kidney transplantation ¹⁾. In these experiments, we focused on the cellular interplay involved in the indirect pathway of allorecognition.

Method: We have now adapted the use of intravital microscopy (IVM) to track EYFP DC motility, morphology, and cell density in real-time ²⁾. Fluorescently-labeled syngeneic T cells (CD4: red, CD8: blue) were injected into B6 CD11c-EYFP recipients immediately following transplantation. At various time points, images of the graft, draining lymph nodes and spleen were obtained.

Results: 1. Cellular interaction was detected at graft (Day2 of post txs.). 2. CD4⁺ T cell had longer interaction with DC compared to CD8⁺T cell. 3. Three-dimensional analysis confirmed its interaction.

Conclusion: By monitoring the complex behavior of cells, it will possible to answer many of outstanding questions in the field. Targeting “Indirect Pathway” could be a new therapeutic concept in transplantation.

References: 1: Batal I, et al. JASN 2015, 2: Ueno T, et al. Transplant Int. 2016.

CITATION INFORMATION: Ueno T, McGrath M, Yeung M, Jung K, Kihara Y, Konno O, Nakamura Y, Iwamoto H, Yun S, Chandraker A. Imaging Cell Biology in Transplantation. Am J Transplant. 2017;17 (suppl 3).

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