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

Withaferin A Prolongs Islet Allograft Survival in a Mouse Transplant Model by Preventing T Lymphocyte Proliferation and Dendritic Cell Maturation

K. Kumano1, M. A. Kanak2, S. Vasu1, Y. Liu1, M. Lawrence1, B. Naziruddin1

1Baylor University Medical Ctr, Dallas, TX, 2Virginial Commonwealth University Medical Center, Richmond, VA

Meeting: 2020 American Transplant Congress

Abstract number: B-359

Keywords: Antigen presentation, Immunosuppression, Islets, T cell activation

Session Information

Session Name: Poster Session B: Islet cell and cell Transplantation

Session Type: Poster Session

Date: Saturday, May 30, 2020

Session Time: 3:15pm-4:00pm

 Presentation Time: 3:30pm-4:00pm

Location: Virtual

*Purpose: Chronic decline in islet graft function and toxicities imposed by immunosuppressant drugs remain as challenges to the widespread use of islet transplantation for type 1 diabetes. We previously showed that Withaferin A (WA), a plant derived NF-kB inhibitor could prevent islet inflammation and improve islet graft function in a syngeneic mouse model. We hypothesized that WA suppresses not only inflammatory response but also the adaptive immune response toward allografts by inhibiting T cell receptor signaling via NF-κB pathway in allogenic transplantation.

*Methods: Donor BALB/c mouse islets were transplanted into C57BL/6J recipient mice as an allogeneic graft model. Isolated donor islets were pretreated with WA 30 min prior to transplant, and recipient diabetic mice received daily WA IP injections for 7d (Group I) or until islet rejection (Group II) post transplantation. Blood glucose was evaluated in recipients for up to 60 d. Flow cytometry was performed on peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMCs), lymph node (LN) cells, and splenocytes from mouse and human PBMCs to determine effects of WA on T cell proliferation.

*Results: The median graft survivals of control (n=5), Group1 (n=9), and Group II (n=5) were 16, 22 and 60 days, respectively and Group II showed significantly higher graft survival rate than control groups (0% vs 80%) (Figure 1). WA significantly reduced proliferation of PBMCs, LN cells, and splenocytes in BALB/c mice. WA also blocked T cell proliferation in CD3/CD28-stimulated human PBMCs in vitro. Moreover, flow cytometry analyses showed WA suppressed maturation of human dendritic cell by reducing CD83 expression (Figure 2).

*Conclusions: WA suppresses both innate immune and adaptive immune responses, prolonging islet allograft survival in mice. Our in vitro results indicate that WA treatment has protective effects in many aspects, which may create a more favorable allograft environment for islet transplantation and has the potential to apply to clinical setting as an immunosuppressive drug.

 border=

 border=

  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print

To cite this abstract in AMA style:

Kumano K, Kanak MA, Vasu S, Liu Y, Lawrence M, Naziruddin B. Withaferin A Prolongs Islet Allograft Survival in a Mouse Transplant Model by Preventing T Lymphocyte Proliferation and Dendritic Cell Maturation [abstract]. Am J Transplant. 2020; 20 (suppl 3). https://atcmeetingabstracts.com/abstract/withaferin-a-prolongs-islet-allograft-survival-in-a-mouse-transplant-model-by-preventing-t-lymphocyte-proliferation-and-dendritic-cell-maturation/. 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