ATC Abstracts

American Transplant Congress abstracts

  • Home
  • Meetings Archive
    • 2022 American Transplant Congress
    • 2021 American Transplant Congress
    • 2020 American Transplant Congress
    • 2019 American Transplant Congress
    • 2018 American Transplant Congress
    • 2017 American Transplant Congress
    • 2016 American Transplant Congress
    • 2015 American Transplant Congress
    • 2013 American Transplant Congress
  • Keyword Index
  • Resources
    • 2021 Resources
    • 2016 Resources
      • 2016 Welcome Letter
      • ATC 2016 Program Planning Committees
      • ASTS Council 2015-2016
      • AST Board of Directors 2015-2016
    • 2015 Resources
      • 2015 Welcome Letter
      • ATC 2015 Program Planning Committees
      • ASTS Council 2014-2015
      • AST Board of Directors 2014-2015
      • 2015 Conference Schedule
  • Search

Tissue Resident Memory T Cells in Mouse Renal Transplantation

K. Abou-Daya1, D. Zhao1, R. Tieu1, R. Rammal2, M. Oberbarnscheidt1, F. Lakkis1

1Starzl Transplantation Institute, Pittsburgh, PA, 2American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon

Meeting: 2020 American Transplant Congress

Abstract number: 435

Keywords: Genomics, Kidney transplantation, Rejection, T cells

Session Information

Session Name: Plenary Session III

Session Type: Plenary Session

Date: Monday, June 1, 2020

Session Time: 9:59am-10:40am

 Presentation Time: 10:20am-10:27am

Location: Main Channel

*Purpose: The newly identified tissue resident subset of memory T cells (TRM) provides immune surveillance in the tissue and first response against infections. They are functionally, transcriptionally, and phenotypically distinct from circulating effector and central memory T cells. The role of TRM in transplantation is unknown. In this study, we investigated the formation and function of TRM in a mouse kidney transplantation model.

*Methods: Syngeneic B6 or allogeneic (B6xBALB/c) F1.ova kidneys were transplanted to B6 recipients and 1 million OT-I effector T cells were transferred on day 2. Graft, blood, bone marrow, SLO, and liver tissues were harvested 4 and 8 wks after transplantation. Serum creatinine (Cr) was measured using i-Stat analyzer. TRM were identified phenotypically as CD44hiCD62LlowCD69+ CD103+/- cells after excluding in vivo labeled T cells. OT-I and polyclonal TRM were transcriptional characterized using scRNAseq. We tested TRM residency in the graft by performing parabiosis between 4-wk transplanted CD45.1 B6 mice that contained OT-I effectors and CD45.2 B6 parabionts that had received F1.ova kidneys but no OT-I. Whether TRM are sufficient for rejection was tested in a re-transplantation model using splenectomized LTBR-/- mice as secondary recipients of F1.ova grafts containing TRM. To further establish a causal relationship between the TRM OT-Is and rejection, we depleted them at wk 4 post adoptive transfer using Thy1.1 In Vivo Mab (250 μg IV per day for 7 days).

*Results: Mean serum creatinine (mg/dl) was significantly higher in allogeneic vs syngeneic group at wk 8 (0.7 vs 0.2, p<0.05). Graft histology showed mixed acute and chronic rejection in the allogeneic group. Flow analysis of allograft cells demonstrated TRM cells among OT-I and endogenous T cell populations at 4 & 8 wks. The OT-I population was exclusively TRM phenotype by flow and scRNAseq, rapidly produced IFNg upon re-stimulation, and was not detected anywhere else. There was no significant difference in mean number of OT-Is between wk 4 and wk 8 (277K vs 234k, p=0.74). OT-I T cells could not be detected in the parabiont kidney graft or tissues or in the secondary host outside the re-transplanted kidney, indicating that the TRM are indeed resident in the graft and do not re-circulate. Chronic rejection progressed in re-transplanted kidneys that harbored TRM. Depleting the OT-Is preserved kidney function at wk 8 compared to the non-depleted group (Cr= 0.7 vs 0.2, p<0.05).

*Conclusions: Our findings show that donor-specific TRM form in kidney allografts, are functional, and contribute to rejection.

  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print

To cite this abstract in AMA style:

Abou-Daya K, Zhao D, Tieu R, Rammal R, Oberbarnscheidt M, Lakkis F. Tissue Resident Memory T Cells in Mouse Renal Transplantation [abstract]. Am J Transplant. 2020; 20 (suppl 3). https://atcmeetingabstracts.com/abstract/tissue-resident-memory-t-cells-in-mouse-renal-transplantation/. Accessed May 11, 2025.

« Back to 2020 American Transplant Congress

Visit Our Partner Sites

American Transplant Congress (ATC)

Visit the official site for the American Transplant Congress »

American Journal of Transplantation

The official publication for the American Society of Transplantation (AST) and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS) »

American Society of Transplantation (AST)

An organization of more than 3000 professionals dedicated to advancing the field of transplantation. »

American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS)

The society represents approximately 1,800 professionals dedicated to excellence in transplantation surgery. »

Copyright © 2013-2025 by American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons. All rights reserved.

Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Cookie Preferences