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Culture of thymic epithelium for transplantation purposes: Morphological characterization and in vivo biological effect on thymus-dependent immunity in athymic (nude) rats

1982; Academic Press; Volume: 24; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/0090-1229(82)90012-5

1090-2341

H.J. Schuurman, Joseph G. Vos, E. van de Brink, L Kater,

Adrenal Hormones and Disorders

Transplantation of cultured thymic epithelium (CTE) has become one out of several treatment procedures in patients with deficiency of thymic function. However, the culture conditions to obtain biologically active CTE, devoid of thymocytes, are rather ill defined. In this study we investigated optimal culture conditions for human CTE using quantitative morphological criteria; also the biological activity of CTE was assessed both in vitro and in vivo. The explant size proved to be of major importance; in explants less than 1 mm2 in cross section almost all thymocytes disappeared within 8–10 days and epithelium was predominantly present at that time. Culture on organ grids, addition of toxic compounds (deoxyguanosine or di-n-butyltindichloride), or irradiation of the tissue had no effect on tissue culture results. CTE was subcultured as monolayer; supernatants showed similar biological activity as pooled human thymic epithelial culture supernatant, when added to mouse thymocytes in phytohemagglutinin stimulation tests: this result indicated the preservation of biological activity of epithelial cells in CTE. CTE of rat origin was transplanted in athymic nude rats. Within 2 months, the recipients were able to mount and immune response in vivo after ovalbumin immunization. One rat tested showed allogeneic skin transplant rejection 18 weeks after transplantation. At autopsy, CTE was found with restored thymic architecture. T-dependent areas in lymphoid organs were repopulated with lymphocytes, which proved to be T lymphocytes by an immunoperoxidase method using monoclonal anti-rat T-cell antibody. These results indicated biological activity in vivo of CTE and the usefulness of the nude rat as an experimental model of human immunodeficiency diseases.