Figure 4. Hepatocyte allograft rejection in CD8-depleted recipients is significantly delayed in macrophage-deficient hosts.
FVB/N (H-2q) hepatocytes were transplanted into CD8+ T cell depleted (day −4, day −2, day 7, day 14) op/op M-CSF deficient hosts, (which have generally reduced numbers of host macrophages including in the liver and spleen), or into CD8+ T cell depleted M-CSF wild type (wt) littermate controls (both H-2b). CD8-depleted M-CSF wt controls (n=4) rejected hepatocyte allografts with median survival time of 14 days, similar to CD8 KO hosts (p=ns). CD8-depleted, macrophage-deficient op/op hosts (n=4) rejected hepatocyte allografts with MST of 35 days (p=0.007). Flow cytometric analysis of peripheral blood lymphocytes was performed to monitor circulating CD8+ T cells in recipient mice. CD8+ T cell reconstitution in transiently CD8-depleted recipient mice is shown by the gray shaded area.