DFG funding for further research on donor-induced graft tolerance after corneal transplantation!

Congratulations to Professor Felix Bock of University Hospital Cologne, Professor Alexander Steinkasserer of University Hospital Erlangen and their teams on receiving the follow up grant to further study donor-induced graft tolerance after corneal transplantation! The 570.000 Euro DFG-grant enables research on this important topic for further 3 years.

Immune responses reflect a complex interplay of cellular and extracellular components which define the microenvironment of a tissue. Therefore, factors that locally influence the microenvironment and re-establish tolerance might be beneficial to mitigate immune-mediated reactions, including the rejection of a transplant. The team demonstrated in a previous study (DOI: 10.1111/ajt.16824), that pre-incubation of donor tissue with the immune modulator soluble CD83 significantly improves graft survival using a high-risk corneal transplantation model. The induction of tolerogenic mechanisms in graft recipients was achieved by a significant upregulation of various proteins and cytokines in the transplant and an increase of regulatory dendritic cells, macrophages, and T cells in eye-draining lymph nodes.

Due to the new DFG grant it is now possible to study the role of the immune modulator sCD83 on dendritic cells, macrophages, and T cells in the (semi)-direct and indirect pathway of alloantigen recognition. Dendritic cell, macrophage and T cell specific conditional CD83 knock out models will be used to analyse the role of endogenously expressed CD83 in transplant immunology. This will provide further insights into the CD83-mediated regulation of transplant acceptance or rejection and will pave the way for improved therapies for transplanted recipients.