Alefacept promotes co-stimulation blockade based allograft survival in nonhuman primates.

Weaver, Tim A; Charafeddine, Ali H; Agarwal, Avinash; Turner, Alexandra P; Russell, Maria; Leopardi, Frank V; Kampen, Robert L; Stempora, Linda et al. · Nat Med · 2009

basic_science · Level V

Where this comes from

Abstract

Memory T cells promote allograft rejection particularly in co-stimulation blockade-based immunosuppressive regimens. Here we show that the CD2-specific fusion protein alefacept (lymphocyte function-associated antigen-3-Ig; LFA -3-Ig) selectively eliminates memory T cells and, when combined with a co-stimulation blockade-based regimen using cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4)-Ig, a CD80- and CD86-specific fusion protein, prevents renal allograft rejection and alloantibody formation in nonhuman primates. These results support the immediate translation of a regimen for the prevention of allograft rejection without the use of calcineurin inhibitors, steroids or pan-T cell depletion.

Medical subject headings